Death toll in Haitian boat capsize rises to 54

MIAMI (Reuters) - The bodies of 54 people have been recovered following Friday's capsize of a Haitian sailboat that was being towed by police in the Turks and Caicos islands, the British territory's government said on Monday.

Seventy-eight migrants survived the accident and were expected to be returned to Haiti, the government said in a statement.

Rescuers continued the search for survivors and victims. On Friday, officials had said 20 people died and 58 were missing in the accident.

A Royal Turks and Caicos Police patrol boat intercepted the sloop -- which may have been carrying as many as 150 people -- about 2 miles (3.2 km) south of the island of Providenciales.

Suspecting the vessel carried illegal migrants, the police took it in tow but encountered rough seas, the statement said. The overloaded sloop capsized, tossing most of its passengers into the water.

None of the 69 males and nine females who survived the capsize were seriously injured, officials said.

Haitian officials went to Providenciales to help identify the victims.

The Turks and Caicos lie southeast of the Bahamas and north of Haiti.

The U.S. Coast Guard has intercepted 909 Haitians fleeing their impoverished homeland this year for what they think will be a better life abroad, mainly in the United States.

The number of Haitian migrants spiked in April. Some Haitians say a deal this year between Australia and the United States to swap refugees has made them believe they could end up in Australia if they are caught by the U.S. Coast Guard.