The head of the Armada (Navy) Edwin Dominici reported yesterday, Thursday 20 February that at least three people died and another 12 were rescued alive when their boat capsized off the east coast of the Dominican Republic. The boat was reportedly stolen from a tourism company in the area. An estimated 20 Haitians were on board, who had reportedly paid upwards of US$1,000 for the clandestine trip to Puerto Rico. Dominici said that all passengers on board were Haitian. According to survivors, the boat left the Bavaro shore at dawn on Wednesday, 19 February and capsized five nautical miles off the coast.