At least seven people were killed and 17 injured after a ship capsized at a port in Haiti.
The incident took place on Monday when the ship’s crew was loading trucks into the vessel, the Maelys Lome II, at Varreux Terminal in Port-au-Prince, the country’s capital.
The ship, which transported goods between the cities of Gran Sud and Port-au-Prince, began to lean sideways due to a truck’s ‘poor maneuver’ in the hold, the terminal said in a statement on X.
‘This unfortunate accident unfortunately resulted in loss of human life,’ Terminal Varreux said.
‘The Terminal Varreaux expresses its deep regret following the accident.’
The Maelys Lome II is owned by JP Haiti Trans, was built in 1970 and weighs 2,401 tons.
The terminal said that the company was making plans to right and repair the vessel.
Videos on social media shows the Maelys Lome II overturned in the water.
The Maelys Lome II capsized while trucks were being loaded at a port in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on Monday, killing seven people and injuring 17
The Marlys Lome II, which was built in 1970, tilted to its left moments after a truck made a ‘poor maneuver’ in the hold
Operations were temporarily suspended at the port, according to Terminal Varreux
Several trucks could be seen leaning to the side on the ship and other objects spread throughout the water.
A source with knowledge of the investigation told Lenou Velliste news outlet that there were at least 34 trucks on two floors when the ship overturned.
‘Activities at the oil terminal are continuing normally. International port activities, arrivals of fuel boats, propane boats, boats transporting bulk products are continuing normally,’ the source said.
Transport operations were temporarily suspended but were not expected to impact the ‘arrival of foreign-flagged vessels and the port’s international operations,’ the terminal added.
The terminal is located only three miles north of State University of Haiti Hospital, the country’s largest public hospital, where two reporters and a police officer were shot dead in a gang attack on Christmas Eve.
The medical facility, which is also known as General Hospital, was shut down earlier this year due to gang violence and the reopening was a highly anticipated event.
Armed gangs in Haiti, with near-total control over capital Port-au-Prince and wide remit over the rest of the country, have targeted hospitals to show their muscle over the government, forcing most to shut down.
