At least seven people were killed and seventeen were injured when a ship capsized in a port in Haiti.
The incident occurred on Monday when the ship’s crew was loading trucks onto the ship, the Maelys Lome II, at the Varreux Terminal in Port-au-Prince, the country’s capital.
The ship, which was carrying goods between the cities of Gran Sud and Port-au-Prince, began to lean sideways due to a “bad maneuver” by a truck in the hold, the terminal said in a statement on X.
“This unfortunate accident has unfortunately resulted in the loss of life,” Terminal Varreux said.
‘The Terminal Varreaux expresses its deep regret after the accident.’
The Maelys Lome II is owned by JP Haiti Trans, was built in 1970 and weighs 2,401 tons.
The terminal said the company was making plans to right and repair the ship.
Videos on social media show the Maelys Lome II overturned in the water.
The Maelys Lome II capsized Monday while trucks were being loaded at a port in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, killing seven people and injuring 17.
The Marlys Lome II, built in 1970, tilted to the left after a truck made a ‘bad maneuver’ in the hold
According to Terminal Varreux, activities at the port were temporarily suspended
Several trucks could be seen leaning toward the side of the ship and other objects scattered across the water.
A source with knowledge of the investigation told news channel Lenou Velliste that there were at least 34 trucks on two floors when the ship capsized.
‘Activities at the oil terminal are continuing normally. International port operations, arrival of fuel boats, propane boats and boats carrying bulk products will continue as normal,” the source said.
Transportation operations were temporarily suspended, but this was not expected to impact the “arrival of foreign-flagged vessels and the port’s international operations,” the terminal added.
The terminal is just three miles north of the 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, also known as General Hospital, was closed earlier this year due to gang violence and its reopening was a highly anticipated event.
Armed gangs in Haiti, with near-total control of the capital Port-au-Prince and broad power over the rest of the country, have attacked hospitals to demonstrate their power over the government, forcing most to close their doors.