By David Atangana
Atleast two Cameroonian migrants have have died, 13 gone missing with 13 rescued with two death recorded — after a boat carrying them capsized in the Carribeans.
Reports say the group had departed Antigua early Tuesday aboard a boat carrying 32 passengers that apparently was en route to the U.S. Virgin Islands.
It reportedly sank near the island of St. Kitts.
The migrants according to the government of St Kitts where the boat capsized, were staying in the Caribbean island Guadeloupe, but left a week ago for Antigua before the unfortunate incident.
Authorities in Antigua say they have been very accommodating to the migrants before they set off to their intended destinations.
“My government has been making every effort to be helpful to these brothers and sisters from Africa who were marooned on Antigua, including by granting them residence and the opportunity to work,” Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne said.
He added that, “…….Cameroonians apparently arrived in Antigua as tourists but intended to migrate to other countries.”
This is coming few weeks after over 600 Cameroonians fleeing the armed conflict in Anglophone regions were reportedly stranded in Caribbean islands.
Cameroon has been rocked by conflict since English-speaking separatists in the Central African country launched a rebellion in 2017.
More than 3,300 people have died in the conflict, which has displaced more than 750,000 others, according to the United Nations.
Mimi Mefo Info