Grégoire Goodstein, head of the IOM Mission to Haiti, explained that shipwrecks are devastating events, and highlighted the risks faced by men, women and children who migrate through irregular routes.

“The socioeconomic situation plus the extreme violence experienced in recent months is an agony, causing many Haitians to seek desperate solutions,” the official noted.

“The lack of economic opportunities, the collapse of the healthcare system, the closure of schools and the lack of prospects are pushing many people to consider migration as the only way to survive,” Goodstein added.

Since February 29, 2024, the Haitian coast guard has observed an upsurge in the number of boat attempts and departures in the north.

Coast guards from countries in the region, including the United States, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands and Jamaica, also reported that a soaring number of boats from Haiti are being intercepted at sea.

According to Le National newspaper, over 86,000 migrants have been returned to Haiti from neighboring countries so far in 2024.

In March alone, despite growing violence and the closure of airports across the country, forcible returns ramped up by 46 percent, totaling 13,000 Haitians in the third month of the year alone.

Goodstein insisted that safe and legal migration channels are vital.

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