HAITI: DIVERS CONTINUE TO RECOVER BODIES FROM HAITIAN FERRY LA FIERTE GONAVIENNE, THAT SANK KILLING HUNDREDS

Record ID: 639769

  • Title: HAITI: DIVERS CONTINUE TO RECOVER BODIES FROM HAITIAN FERRY LA FIERTE GONAVIENNE, THAT SANK KILLING HUNDREDS
  • Date: 9th September 1997
  • Summary: MONTROUIS, HAITI (SEPTEMBER 9, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV RESCUE BOATS IN WATER 0.05 2. VARIOUS OF WORKERS PULLING BODIES OUT OF WATER (4 SHOTS) 0.39 3. SCU UNIDENTIFIED MAN SAYS "600, 500, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY. THEY JUST KEEP TAKING THEM OUT" (SPANISH) 0.49 4. SLV'S BODY OF PREGNANT WOMAN BEING PULLED OUT OF WATER AND TAKEN TO SHORE (2 SHOTS) 1.02 5. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CRYING, WOMAN SCREAMING (6 SHOTS) 1.39 6. VARIOUS OF BODIES IN PLASTIC BAGS ON GROUND (2 SHOTS) 1.55 7. ZOOM IN CHOPPER ON SEASHORE. 2.06 Initials S3,P3-2 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 24th September 1997 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MONTROUIS, HAITI
  • City:
  • Country: Haiti CARIBBEAN
  • Reuters ID: LVADKNZ7FIIPTP6Z3MTN8A24PSN4
  • Story Text: INTRO: Divers are continuing to recover bodies from a Haitian ferry that sank in sight of the shore, trapping passengers below decks and killing hundreds of people.

    A salvage team on Tuesday (September 9) prepared to move a submerged Haitian ferry to shallow water to speed recovery of the bodies of passengers entombed when the vessel sank.

    The hull of the ferry La Fierte Gonavienne (the Pride of Gonave), which sank on Monday in 120 feet (40 meters) of water just off the shore at Montrouis, may hold up to 200 bodies.

    It was Haiti's worst maritime tragedy since the 1993 sinking of the ferry Neptune, in which at least 500 people are thought to have perished.

    Officials said the bodies of about 50 victims were recovered on Monday. Up to 60 people apparently survived by swimming or wading to shore.

    Captain Andre Mathieu, a Canadian diver from the United Nations peacekeeping force which is leading the recovery operation, said the area below deck was choked with bodies.

    Mathieu said divers had examined the second of three below-deck compartments and estimated it held about 60 bodies. Divers on Monday had looked in the first compartment and believed it held a similar number. A third compartment and an engine room have not yet been searched.

    It is uncertain how many passengers were aboard the vessel when it sailed and how many perished. The United States Coast Guard said on Monday reports form the haitian Coast Guard indicated between 300 and 400 dead.


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