The survivors were taken to Crash Boat Beach in Aguadilla, a town in northwestern Puerto Rico, said Jeffrey Quiñones, a regional spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He said the boat departed from the Dominican Republic. Puerto Rico is experiencing a labor shortage, particularly in manual labor, as millions in federal funds are being disbursed for reconstruction on the island archipelago five years after Hurricane Maria. Gastelbondo estimated that 20,000 Dominicans have migrated illegally to Puerto Rico in the past three years and that about three trips leave per day to Puerto Rico. Rodriguez blamed government officials in both Haiti and the Dominican Republic for the conditions that can lead to such deaths.

Source: Washington Post May 14, 2022 01:27 UTC