SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — No less than 14 individuals from the African nation of Cameroon have been rescued from waters within the jap Caribbean early Tuesday after their boat capsized, however three individuals have been lifeless and 13 others lacking, authorities in St. Kitts mentioned.

The group had departed Antigua early Tuesday aboard a ship carrying 32 passengers that apparently was en path to the U.S. Virgin Islands when it sank close to the island of St. Kitts, Anthony Comrie, head of the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Pressure, mentioned at a information convention. He mentioned the group had been staying on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, however left there every week in the past for Antigua.

“My authorities has been making each effort to be useful to those brothers and sisters from Africa who have been marooned on Antigua, together with by granting them residence and the chance to work,” Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne mentioned.

He mentioned the Cameroonians apparently arrived in Antigua as vacationers however supposed emigrate to different international locations. Browne mentioned his administration has contacted the U.N. Excessive Fee for Refugees and the Worldwide Group for Migration for counsel on the best way to deal with the survivors as refugees, including that they’re welcome in Antigua.

Cameroon has been rocked by battle since English-speaking separatists within the Central African nation launched a rebel in 2017. Greater than 3,300 individuals have died within the battle, which has displaced greater than 750,000 others, in accordance with the United Nations.

The boat was stolen in Antigua, and 16 individuals aboard it have been rescued, together with two Antiguans, Comrie mentioned. The nationalities of those that died or lacking have been unknown, officers mentioned.

Browne mentioned authorities would examine what he referred to as an “illegal and dreadful affair,” together with the involvement of native residents.

“All the information surrounding at present’s calamity aren’t but identified,” he mentioned.

The boat sank about 40 miles (60 kilometers) northwest of Antigua for unknown causes, Col. Telbert Benjamin, chief of protection for Antigua and Barbuda’s Protection Pressure, advised the federal government’s media outlet.

“The vessel went down in comparatively deep water, and so restoration … is perhaps a little bit of a problem,” Benjamin mentioned.

___

This story has been corrected to point out that the(backslash)t new convention was held in St. Kitts