Six people from two families, one from India and another of Romanian descent with Canadian passports were found dead near the Canada-US border after allegedly trying to cross illegally into the US.
According to the news agency AFP, local deputy police chief Lee-Ann O'Brien while addressing a press conference said that their bodies were discovered on Thursday in a Marsh near a capsized boat belonging to a man from the Akwesasne Mohawk community who himself has been missing for some time. While talking to the reporters about the victims, she said, "The six individuals are believed to be from two families, one of Romanian descent and the other believed to be citizens of India." She further added that five of the deceased were adults and one was a child believed to be under the age of three.
O'Brien said that all the deceased are believed to have been attempting to illegally enter the United States while coming from Canada.
As per AFP's report, the Deputy Police chief said that another passport of an infant had been recovered from one of the deceased however this infant seems to be missing and police dive teams are working currently to search for the infant.
The first body was found during the investigation through an aerial search of the area. Authorities are waiting for an autopsy report as well as toxicology test results to determine the cause of death.
O'Brien while talking about 48 crossings of the border that happened in 2023 said that there has been an "increase in people passing through Akwesasne and gaining entry into the US." She added that once they land on the US side, they are usually picked up on shore and then transported by vehicle into New York, AFP reported.
The Mohawk tribal territory straddles the Canadian provinces of Quebec, Ontario, and the US state of New York.