New Discoveries Raise Dominican Migrant Toll To 51

Published February 10, 2012 12:27AM (EST)

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Authorities in the Dominican Republic have recovered 10 more bodies from the weekend sinking of a boat carrying illegal migrants. That raises the confirmed death toll to 51.

Public prosecutor Felicia Nieves says volunteers found the bodies Thursday as authorities prepared to end the search for those still missing from the capsizing of a smuggler's boat.

About 70 people hoping to get to Puerto Rico are thought to have been aboard. At least 13, including one of the purported organizers, survived.

It is one of the Caribbean nation's worst accidents in recent years. In 2004, some 80 migrants died when their boat capsized, and 50 were declared missing in 2010 after their boat disappeared.


By Salon Staff

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