Sinking of the ferry Neptune
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 Approximate location | |
| Date | February 16, 1993 |
|---|---|
| Location | Near Miragoane, Haiti |
| Cause | Conditions of the weather, ship, and crowd |
| Outcome | ~1,500 deaths out of ~2,000 passengers |
18°33′31″N 73°10′45″W / 18.55861°N 73.17917°W
The sinking of the ferry Neptune, a commercial ship which regularly carried people and cargo between the Haitian cities of Jérémie to Port-au-Prince, occurred on the night of February 16, 1993. It capsized and sank off the coast of Miragoane, due to a mix of the passenger crowd's size and movement, and the conditions of the ship and weather.
Haiti's economic and political situation at the time allowed their ferry system to operate with no regulations, which contributed to the ship's large crowd size. When a heavy rainstorm hit the ship halfway through its journey, the ship started to pitch and roll, and the crowd panicked, going to one side of the ship. This caused the ship to capsize, and it eventually sank. The accident likely caused 1,500 deaths out of 2,000 passengers, which would make it one of the deadliest maritime disasters in history. Search-and-rescue efforts were done mostly by the U.S. Coast Guard, though the efforts were less effective than they could have been, as it took two days for the sinking to be officially reported in Port-au-Prince.
At the time of the Haitian ferry Neptune's sinking in 1993, ferries were a common transportation method in the country, as there was a lack of usable roads, transportation vehicles, and fuel for aircraft and buses. Many of these ferries were in poor conditions, and often caused deaths, due to accidents including engine failures.[1][2][3] After the 1991 coup in Haiti, an embargo was put against the country, which stopped Haitian import of goods including fuel and spare parts for ships. Boat companies became "systematically permitted" to ignore government regulations.[3][4]
The Neptune regularly ran from the county's western port and agricultural production center of Jérémie to the capital of Port-au-Prince, 120 miles (190 km) to 180 miles (290 km) away. It ordinarily carried people and cargo (including cattle) brought on by poorer passengers to be sold in Port-au-Prince. The boat was 150 feet (46 m) or 163 feet (50 m) long, steel-hulled, and had three decks.[1][4][5][6] It was aging, rusting, and poorly maintained.[2][5][7] The captain's name has been reported as either Julio Antoine or Benjamin St. Clair.[2][3] It was owned by Carmin Magliore, who was on the boat when it sank, but survived.[4] It was one of two ships which regularly ran that route, which took 12 to 18 hours.[1][3][5] Tickets cost $7 in 1993 U.S. dollars.[4] The Tampa Bay Times described the bay in between the cities as "treacherous".[5] Days before the ferry's sinking, it was witnessed having no lifeboats. Survivors of the sinking said it had no emergency gear, including radios.[1]
Since the 1991 coup, there was a trend of Haitians hijacking ships in order to sail to the United States and seek asylum there. This was in response to the county's economic situation and political repression.[1][3][5] The U.S. Coast Guard would attempt to destroy these ships and bring their occupants back to Haiti. This caused Neptune's regular Tuesday run to be delayed for several weeks in 1993. According to a Haitian official, this led to overcrowding during the ship's fatal journey, due to demand built up over the weeks.[2] In addition, the ship often carried more people than its limit of roughly 650.[1] Local ferries at the time would cram as many people on board at one time to earn more money.[5]