Fifteen Cameroonians are missing and one person has been confirmed dead after a boat transporting Cameroonians who were living in Antigua and Barbuda overturned this morning (March 28) off the coast of St Kitts.

Antiguan officials have confirmed that the boat capsized 40 miles northwest of Antigua and a search operation is underway to locate the missing passengers.

According to recent reports, the Cameroonians who made up a large majority of the 30 passengers on the boat were heading to the island of St Thomas.

The search operation will be a joint effort between the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre from Martinique and St Kitts and Nevis Defence Force.

The Cameroonians were living in Antigua and Barbuda for the past few months after arriving on a chartered flight. The Central African natives were heading to the United States in seek of a better life due to an uptick in violence in the country.