Bahamas: Four men charged in connection with Haitian boat tragedy

Four men who have been charged in connection with last week's human smuggling boat tragedy, in which 17 Haitians lost their lives, were denied bail when they appeared in court on Friday.

They have been charged with 18 counts of  manslaughter, which include the unborn child of  one of  the women aboard the vessel.

Two of  the men were also charged with reckless operation of  a craft and not having a boater's licence.

The four accused were not required to enter a plea They will return to court on October 28.

Meanwhile, it's reported that the government of  Haiti has committed to covering the burial costs of  those who died at sea.

During a news conference earlier this week, Bahamian Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander urged family members of  deceased victims from Sunday's boating tragedy to come forward to assist with the identification process.

Officers suspect the boat travelling to Miami as a part of  a human smuggling operation.