Cannibalism, women thrown overboard in horror voyage

ILLEGAL immigrants who survived adrift in the Caribbean sea for nearly two weeks relived their horror voyage yesterday, detailing how more than 40 people died during the trip and how women who were unable to give breast milk were thrown overboard by desperate men.

Some were said to have resorted to cannibalism to survive.

Many began to lose their minds when food and water ran out after three days at sea, said Faustina Santana, one of 33 people who were found alive near a small Dominican Republic fishing village, not far from where the boat set off for the US territory of Puerto Rico.

“A lot of people just jumped off,” said Ms Santana, 27, sobbing from her hospital room as a wary father entered the room, showed her a picture of his son, and asked her if he was among the dozens who jumped into the sea during the perilous trip.

“They were going crazy,” she said, unable to tell the man what happened to his son.

Although no bodies have been found, survivors said at least 45 people died during the journey and two died on Tuesday on the way to hospitals, where many of the immigrants are being treated for dehydration. Many are still unconscious.

Ms Santana said the 40-foot wooden boat left the Dominican Republic on July 29 and made it to the Puerto Rican island of Desecheo but its engine failed. After that, the boat began drifting out to sea and it was then that desperation began to set in.

Two women offered their breast milk to passengers. One who refused was thrown overboard by the male passengers, said Ms Santana, who was unable to give milk because she was not lactating.

“One woman refused to give breast milk and the men aboard grabbed her from behind and threw her overboard,” Ms Santana said. “They told me to give milk and I said I couldn’t.”

Besides the milk, the passengers shared one coconut they found floating in the ocean.

Dominican Republic hospital director Rafael Emilio Chalas said some of the people said they resorted to cannibalism to survive.

The journey to Puerto Rico can take a day in good weather.

“It’s way too many lives lost needlessly,” said Lieutenant Eric Willis, a US Coastguard spokesman. “And they keep coming.”