The bodies are believed to have surfaced at the same location of the crash. Police and other officials are presently investigating the find and an official public announcement is expected to be made within short.
The coroner is scheduled to view all recovered bodies today while a forensic pathologist is expected in the Territory on Friday to conduct post-mortem examinations.
An official of the Haitian Consular in the Bahamas is expected to arrive in the Territory today.
Meanwhile, just yesterday the search team had discovered an additional body as rescue agencies continued search efforts after a boat carrying mostly Haitian immigrants ran aground on a reef off Brandywine Bay around midnight Sunday.
Virgin Islands Search and Rescue recovered the body of a male from the seabed near the site of the wreckage.
Monday morning, five bodies were recovered from the water and near the scene of the wreckage – two females, one male and two children. Among the survivors are 14 males and 11 females. Some 21 detainees are being held at the Detention Centre at Balshum Ghut while four have been hospitalized.
Yesterday morning RVIPF convened a meeting, which included Police investigators, St. Maarten law enforcement officers and representatives from Her Majesty's Customs, Immigration and the Ministry of Health.
Among the matters discussed were provisions for immigrants to connect with families in Haiti or in St. Maarten and to receive health and other welfare accommodations and preparations for repatriation of bodies and survivors. Police are also arranging for a meeting with members of the BVI Haitian Association.
The Ministry of Health and Social Development through the BVI Health Services Authority completed a preliminary health assessment of the detainees specifically to detect the presence of the cholera disease. The Ministry maintains that there were no known risks to the general population as none of the detainees are exhibiting signs or symptoms of the cholera disease. However, the Ministry will continue to monitor the situation and is working closely with other agencies to ensure the safety of the public. A comprehensive health assessment will be completed today.
All general procedures to safeguard health are to be maintained among officers in contact with the detainees.
Local investigators are working closely with the St. Maarten law enforcement authorities to identify those responsible for the illegal human trafficking and to bring them to justice.
Further, Her Majesty's Customs, Virgin Islands Search and Rescue and U.S. Coast Guard were part of the early efforts to rescue individuals from the waters around the wreckage and to detain those that had made it on to shore.
A 25-foot fiberglass boat which is believed to have transported the group has since been removed from the scene and is now at the Police Marine Base.
The Governor and Premier have both been notified of the situation and have been briefed on the conditions of the detainees and any possible threats to the BVI public in light of the cholera epidemic in Haiti.
On this situation, the Governor has stated that his office has been in contact with the Haitian government to brief them on this incident.
In addition, the Ministry of Health and Social Development along with the BVI Health Services Authority are collaborating on health issues related to the detainees and are taking all necessary precautions to safeguard the BVI public. Presently, there are no known risks to the general population as none of the detainees are exhibiting signs or symptoms of the cholera disease. However, the Ministry will continue to monitor the situation and are working closely with other agencies to ensure the safety of the public
(BVI Online News)
