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The vessel was headed for Puerto Rico, a US territory, on Friday when it flipped over. Survivors said it was carrying between 40 and 50 people but authorities have not been able to determine the exact number.

"We conclude with 17 people rescued and eight bodies recovered,” Fernando Castillo, a provincial civil defense official in charge of the rescue effort, told AFP.

He said he did not know the number of people missing from the tragedy.

The fatalities were Dominicans and Haitians, both men and women, he said.

The search effort was hampered by strong waves and thick patches of seaweed off the coast, officials said.

The migrants were traveling in a so-called “yola” fishing boat, which are constructed from wood or fiberglass and do not comply with safety regulations, according to authorities.

Migrants pay as much as $7,000 for a one-way trip to Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic.

The route between the Dominican Republic — which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti — and Puerto Rico has grown in popularity for migrants in recent years.