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Overview:
Thirteen university students from Anténor Firmin University in Cap-Haïtien died, and eight are still missing after a small motorboat carrying 27 people capsized near Labadie on June 28. The students were returning from a beach outing at Cadras when their overloaded vessel sank. While seven were rescued—one of whom later died—search teams continue looking for survivors. The tragedy has raised concerns about maritime safety and the lack of oversight for water-based travel in northern Haiti.
CAP-HAITIEN — At least 13 students from Anténor Firmin University (UNAF) are confirmed dead and eight remain missing after a small, overloaded boat capsized off the coast of Cadras Beach near Labadie on Saturday, June 28, authorities and local sources told The Haitian Times.
The group of 27 students, mostly from the computer science faculty, had traveled to the beach to celebrate the end of the semester. The one-engine vessel, which was carrying a generator and radio speaker, overturned as they were returning to shore around 5:00 p.m. amid reports of strong winds.
Rescue teams managed to save seven students from the water, though one later died from injuries. As of Sunday, search efforts continue for the eight students still unaccounted for.
“I drank Barbancourt with the guys before they left campus,” said Upsendy Dorsainvil, a fourth-year law student at UNAF, who declined the trip due to safety concerns. “Hours later, I heard that they died. This is frustrating… They should’ve gone back in two trips. There were too many of them. Strength to their families. This is a huge loss,” he said, speaking from a bar in Richardville, a hillside neighborhood of Cap-Haïtien.
“I drank Barbancourt with the guys before they left campus. Hours later, I heard that they had died. This is frustrating… They should’ve gone back in two trips. There were too many of them.”
Upsendy Dorsainvil, law student at UNAF
The victims’ names have not yet been released, and UNAF has not issued an official statement. University officials and the Cap-Haïtien town hall have yet to be available for interviews.
According to multiple sources familiar with the incident, the boat was likely overwhelmed by both rough conditions and excessive weight, contributing to the deadly outcome. Small watercraft and jet ski operators in the area rushed to assist once the boat began sinking.
The survivors were transported to Hôpital Universitaire Justinien in Cap-Haïtien for emergency care.
Beyond grief, the tragedy has sparked a wider reckoning about maritime safety in the northern coastal city, where boats are frequently used for both personal and professional travel, often without standardized regulations or enforcement.
“This gives me a lot of problems,” said Woodjery André, a fourth-year administration student at UNAF who works security at a home in Cadras. “You can be alive today and die tomorrow without even being sick or anything. Imagine knowing someone and without them even being sick, today they’re here and tomorrow they’re gone.”
This is a developing story; more information will be provided when available.