bahamiangoddess
04-24-08, - 11:15 AM
April 24th, 2008
Tales of Death
By TOSHEENA ROBINSON-BLAIR
Survivors of a deadly Haitian smuggling trip recounted Wednesday how they lived undetected in two New Providence safe houses for 15 days before boarding a boat they expected to take them to a better way of life.
Instead, the doomed trip left them hospitalized with harrowing tales of how they thought they would die at sea before being rescued.
From a hospital bed in the Orthopedic Section of the Princess Margaret Hospital, Johnny Boucher, 26, told the Journal how his family paid $263 – the equivalent of 2,000 Haitian dollars – for him to come to Nassau in search of work.
His tale was similar to that of Rodene Fileresaint, 23, who said she left Turtle Island, Haiti, with her first cousin, Shelda, 20, not too long ago.
Fileresaint – who was reportedly in high school with hopes of becoming a nurse – said a relative paid for the trip.
Speaking through an interpreter, initially she claimed that she made the trip to Nassau only to visit. She later admitted that she came to work.
However, Fileresaint said her ultimate destination was Miami where some distant relatives reside.
Both Fileresaint and Boucher said they were unsure of the exact location of the New Providence safe houses.
Boucher said he could not recall how many people were onboard the boat which brought him to the Bahamas, but no sooner had he arrived in the capital that he found himself fleeing from immigration officials.
Also speaking through an interpreter, he told the Journal that some of the people who made the voyage with him were apprehended. However, he and a few others were able to escape and make their way to a safe house.
Boucher said he stayed at the safe house for 15 days, unable to find work.
While at the safe house someone sought him out and inquired whether he had family in Miami who would pay if someone were able to get him there, he said.
He assured that he did.
"You’re not afraid (to make the trip). It’s not just you," he said.
"When I got to Miami, if my family didn’t pay then they wouldn’t release [me]."
Fileresaint said she had no idea how much the entire trip cost as her relative in Haiti handled the transaction.
Deadly Voyage
According to Fileresaint, 27 people were aboard the boat that was supposed to take the migrants to Miami. She said she’s certain about that number because she counted.
Only three people – Fileresaint, Boucher and a Honduran – would survive the deadly trip.
Fileresaint said the boat left Nassau around 8pm Saturday. She said it was expected to first make a stop in Bimini before heading to Miami.
Both Haitians said an hour into the trip the boat started taking on water.
"I was sitting in front of the boat. The boat was speeding. Water was coming inside of the boat and we couldn’t see where it was coming from. Women started screaming to turn back…people started looking for stuff to dump the water," Boucher recalled.
He said part of the boat began to sink, plunging everyone into the water.
Boucher told how he discarded his clothes – two shirts, a pair of pants, and his shoes – in order to get ready to swim.
"I was swimming in the direction of the waves. I thought I was going to die because it was night. If it was daytime I thought someone could rescue me. I began to get cramps," he said.
When daylight came, Boucher said he screamed in Creole for help.
"Every time they don’t see me I say, ‘Oh my God,’" he shared.
"I wasted a lot of energy trying to get their attention."
Meantime, Fileresaint – who is able to swim – recalls how pandemonium broke out onboard the boat "with everybody trying to grab onto everybody else" and screams ripping through the air.
"I was holding onto a dead woman to keep afloat in the water. She died right away, as soon as the boat sank," the Haitian woman said.
Fileresaint, who comes from a family of rice farmers, said she held onto the woman for more than nine hours – that is until she was rescued at 6:30 the next morning.
Boucher said he was nearly unconscious when he felt someone grab him from the back and pluck him up out of the water.
Their words of advice to anyone considering a similar trip – don’t come.
"I would tell people it’s dangerous. It’s no good," Fileresaint said.
Boucher added, "I’ll tell them not to do it…God saved my life."
According to one immigration officer posted at the hospital, Boucher could be discharged as early as Thursday.
Fileresaint, who has serious sunburns about the body and was seen writhing and moaning in pain, is expected to be hospitalized longer.
Authorities said Wednesday that a total of 14 bodies had been recovered following the mass drowning Sunday.
A vessel was never found.
Tales of Death
By TOSHEENA ROBINSON-BLAIR
Survivors of a deadly Haitian smuggling trip recounted Wednesday how they lived undetected in two New Providence safe houses for 15 days before boarding a boat they expected to take them to a better way of life.
Instead, the doomed trip left them hospitalized with harrowing tales of how they thought they would die at sea before being rescued.
From a hospital bed in the Orthopedic Section of the Princess Margaret Hospital, Johnny Boucher, 26, told the Journal how his family paid $263 – the equivalent of 2,000 Haitian dollars – for him to come to Nassau in search of work.
His tale was similar to that of Rodene Fileresaint, 23, who said she left Turtle Island, Haiti, with her first cousin, Shelda, 20, not too long ago.
Fileresaint – who was reportedly in high school with hopes of becoming a nurse – said a relative paid for the trip.
Speaking through an interpreter, initially she claimed that she made the trip to Nassau only to visit. She later admitted that she came to work.
However, Fileresaint said her ultimate destination was Miami where some distant relatives reside.
Both Fileresaint and Boucher said they were unsure of the exact location of the New Providence safe houses.
Boucher said he could not recall how many people were onboard the boat which brought him to the Bahamas, but no sooner had he arrived in the capital that he found himself fleeing from immigration officials.
Also speaking through an interpreter, he told the Journal that some of the people who made the voyage with him were apprehended. However, he and a few others were able to escape and make their way to a safe house.
Boucher said he stayed at the safe house for 15 days, unable to find work.
While at the safe house someone sought him out and inquired whether he had family in Miami who would pay if someone were able to get him there, he said.
He assured that he did.
"You’re not afraid (to make the trip). It’s not just you," he said.
"When I got to Miami, if my family didn’t pay then they wouldn’t release [me]."
Fileresaint said she had no idea how much the entire trip cost as her relative in Haiti handled the transaction.
Deadly Voyage
According to Fileresaint, 27 people were aboard the boat that was supposed to take the migrants to Miami. She said she’s certain about that number because she counted.
Only three people – Fileresaint, Boucher and a Honduran – would survive the deadly trip.
Fileresaint said the boat left Nassau around 8pm Saturday. She said it was expected to first make a stop in Bimini before heading to Miami.
Both Haitians said an hour into the trip the boat started taking on water.
"I was sitting in front of the boat. The boat was speeding. Water was coming inside of the boat and we couldn’t see where it was coming from. Women started screaming to turn back…people started looking for stuff to dump the water," Boucher recalled.
He said part of the boat began to sink, plunging everyone into the water.
Boucher told how he discarded his clothes – two shirts, a pair of pants, and his shoes – in order to get ready to swim.
"I was swimming in the direction of the waves. I thought I was going to die because it was night. If it was daytime I thought someone could rescue me. I began to get cramps," he said.
When daylight came, Boucher said he screamed in Creole for help.
"Every time they don’t see me I say, ‘Oh my God,’" he shared.
"I wasted a lot of energy trying to get their attention."
Meantime, Fileresaint – who is able to swim – recalls how pandemonium broke out onboard the boat "with everybody trying to grab onto everybody else" and screams ripping through the air.
"I was holding onto a dead woman to keep afloat in the water. She died right away, as soon as the boat sank," the Haitian woman said.
Fileresaint, who comes from a family of rice farmers, said she held onto the woman for more than nine hours – that is until she was rescued at 6:30 the next morning.
Boucher said he was nearly unconscious when he felt someone grab him from the back and pluck him up out of the water.
Their words of advice to anyone considering a similar trip – don’t come.
"I would tell people it’s dangerous. It’s no good," Fileresaint said.
Boucher added, "I’ll tell them not to do it…God saved my life."
According to one immigration officer posted at the hospital, Boucher could be discharged as early as Thursday.
Fileresaint, who has serious sunburns about the body and was seen writhing and moaning in pain, is expected to be hospitalized longer.
Authorities said Wednesday that a total of 14 bodies had been recovered following the mass drowning Sunday.
A vessel was never found.