Fifteen killed in Haitian ferry accident

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Apr 27 (Reuters) At least 15 Haitians died and dozens were injured when a ferry hit a sandbar and spilled passengers overboard off the impoverished Caribbean nation's southern coast, authorities said.

Civil Protection Director Alta Jean-Baptiste said the packed ferry was leaving the southern town of Jeremie for the capital Port-au-Prince when the accident occurred on Tuesday evening.

''Fifteen bodies were recovered, but rescuers have stopped searches because they don't expect to find other bodies,'' Jean-Baptiste told Reuters.

Some victims were crushed when another boat tried to pull the stuck ferry from the sandbar in the dark, civil protection officials said.

About 300 passengers were aboard the apparently overloaded vessel, which was also laden with cargo, when it struck the sandbar, the officials said.

REUTERS DKS BST0449