Smiling boy speaks of ordeal as rescue teams go home

AN eight-year-old boy whose beaming grin became an icon of hope in the search for Haiti earthquake survivors spoke of his incredible escape yesterday as British search teams prepared to return home.

Kiki Joachin, who emerged with his arms outstretched in delight after more than a week buried under the ruins of his family’s home, said he smiled because he was “free” and “alive”.

He was saved on Wednesday along with his sister, Sabrina, 10. But their rescue was tinged with sadness following the death of their siblings in the disaster – Yeye, nine, Titite, three, and 18-month-old Didine.

Kiki said: “I am sad for my brothers and sisters but happy with my mama.”

Speaking about the moment he was pulled out, he said: “I smiled because I was free – I smiled because I was alive.”

The family were tracked down by reporters living in poverty in a shanty town in the country’s capital.

Sabrina, who was trapped alongside Kiki, spoke of the tragedy of their younger brother’s death.

“My little brother died right next to me and his body started to decay,” she said. “Before he died he asked me for water. We couldn’t find any water. He asked us for water on Wednesday, on Thursday and Friday. He died of dehydration.”

The children’s mother, Odinel, 38, told The Sun she had felt “sure” Kiki and Sabrina were dead.

“When I saw them, I collapsed in tears and hugged them,” she said. “We were all laughing and crying at the same time.”

Meanwhile, British rescuers were packing up and heading home from the devastated country yesterday, saying it would be an “absolute miracle” if anyone else was found alive in the ruins.

Members of Rapid UK said they had done everything they could during the past week to look for survivors, ending their rescue mission with the fruitless search of a collapsed school where around 100 children are missing.

Anthony Thomas, 47, from Bovey Tracey, Devon, said: “We have done our job. It will be pretty much an absolute miracle to find anybody else alive.

“It’s time for the relief teams to take over – it’s time for us to go home.”

His nine-strong group of volunteers picked their way over the remains of the school on the outskirts of capital Port-au-Prince with search dogs on Thursday.

The building catered for 400 children, around 300 of whom have been accounted for.

Father-of-two Mr Thomas said although the stench of dead bodies was in the air, no signs of life were detected.

“It was a job that needed to be done, but it is a few days too late. We should have gone to the school a few days ago, but we didn’t know about it.”