Death toll up to eight in failed St. Lawrence River crossing near …

Shawn Dulude, the chief of the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service, speaking with the media Friday. Screenshot of CBC News broadcast

Apr 01, 2023 -- An Indian and a Romanian family believed to have been trying to enter the U.S. illegally died while crossing the St. Lawrence River late Wednesday night.

According to the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service[1], six adults and two children were found dead in marshes by the riverbank in Snye, which is on the Canadian side of Akwesasne territory. They include an infant of Romanian descent who was a Canadian citizen. Search and rescue teams found six of the bodies Thursday afternoon, along with an overturned boat.

Two more bodies were found on Friday. The circumstances of the deaths are still being investigated. Police are also looking for a missing Akwesasne man, Casey Oakes.

Police said they couldn't confirm his disappearance was related to the migrant deaths. The deaths come amidst an increase in migrant traffic traveling both north and south across the U.S.-Canada border in or near the North Country. Akwesasne Mohawk police chief Shawn Dulude said his officers had intercepted 80 people since January trying to cross into the U.S. through Akwesasne.

Tens of thousands of migrants have been crossing the border north into Canada by Roxham Road[2] in Clinton County, until an agreement closed that unofficial crossing last month.

References

1. ^ According to the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service (www.facebook.com)
2. ^ north into Canada by Roxham Road (www.northcountrypublicradio.org)