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Mexico finds 24 'migrant' bodies Mexico boat loss leaves 11 dead
(about 22 hours later)
The bodies of 24 people believed to be illegal migrants have been washed ashore in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Eleven people were drowned and another 10 are missing after a boat believed to be carrying migrants sank off the Mexican state of Oaxaca.
The dead, who were all men, were thought to be trying to get to the United States from Central America. Those on board were thought to be trying to get to the United States from Central America.
The authorities suspect many more may still be in the water and a search and rescue operation is under way. Two survivors, both from El Salvador, said that the boat had sailed from Guatemala on Tuesday.
At this stage, bad weather is being blamed, but boats carrying illegal immigrants through Mexican waters are often overloaded or unseaworthy. Initial reports said that 24 bodies had been found. A tropical storm is now hampering the search for survivors.
The gruesome discovery came after the civil protection authorities in Oaxaca had received calls that a boat carrying illegal immigrants from Central America had capsized off the Pacific coast. "There are reports of more bodies, but the weather hasn't let us go out to sea," said Oaxaca state public safety secretary Sergio Segreste.
"This morning, we got a report that a vessel carrying undocumented migrants had capsized or gone down," Oaxaca state public safety secretary Sergio Segreste told AP news agency. One survivor, Noemi Martinez, 29, told local TV that after the boat was wrecked she survived by clinging to a barrel.
At this stage, bad weather is being blamed for the sinking, but boats carrying illegal immigrants through Mexican waters are often overloaded or unseaworthy.
Civil protection authorities in Oaxaca received calls that a boat carrying illegal immigrants from Central America had capsized off the Pacific coast.
"We got a report that a vessel carrying undocumented migrants had capsized or gone down," Mr Segreste told the Associated Press news agency.
"The assumption is that the cause of the accident was the rough weather.""The assumption is that the cause of the accident was the rough weather."
Correspondents say there are numerous ways in which people-smugglers take immigrants to the United States via Mexico and traffickers are constantly seeking new routes which avoid checkpoints and customs officers.Correspondents say there are numerous ways in which people-smugglers take immigrants to the United States via Mexico and traffickers are constantly seeking new routes which avoid checkpoints and customs officers.
Often people are carried first to Mexico by boat, from where they must make a second hazardous journey across the border hidden in trucks or lorries.Often people are carried first to Mexico by boat, from where they must make a second hazardous journey across the border hidden in trucks or lorries.
Other journeys involve hundreds of kilometres by sea to take immigrants directly to the US coastline.Other journeys involve hundreds of kilometres by sea to take immigrants directly to the US coastline.
Many Cubans who leave the island travel to Mexico first rather than trying to cross the Florida straits. Illegal immigrants often pay as much as $5,000 to be taken north.Many Cubans who leave the island travel to Mexico first rather than trying to cross the Florida straits. Illegal immigrants often pay as much as $5,000 to be taken north.