IOM has helped to voluntarily repatriate a group of 62 Haitian
migrants many of whom were rescued after a shipwreck off the Cuban
coast at the end of November. The still-traumatized migrants
arrived at Port-au-Prince airport on Thursday (15/12) night.

At least 29 fellow migrants drowned in the tragedy when their
overloaded boat succumbed in the treacherous waters close to the
Cuban coast. They were brought ashore near Banes in Holguin
province where Cuban doctors provided medical and psycho-social
care.

The voluntary repatriation was conducted under a Tripartite
Agreement between IOM, Cuba and Haiti. The Cuban authorities
reported that the rescued Haitians were so traumatized that they
wanted to get back home as soon as possible.

IOM provided USD 15,000 from a special fund to cover the costs
of the migrants' journey home.

"This tragic accident brings home the terrible plight of Haitian
migrants who take to high seas in unseaworthy boats," said IOM
Chief of Mission Luca Dall'Oglio. "Then there is the unbearable
loss for the families of the bereaved as well as the trauma of the
survivors who relive their nightmare at sea."

Many of the survivors who arrived in Port-au-Prince were headed
back to Cap Haitian from where they are believed to have originally
set off on an overcrowded boat on their journey. Many would-be
migrants take the enormous risk of attempting the 600-mile crossing
to the United States and the dream of a better life.

However, many of the boats slipping away from the Haitian coast
with migrants aboard head instead for neighbouring Caribbean
islands such as the Bahamas or the Turks and Caicos Islands, some
130 miles away.

They typically leave on 42-foot wooden sail boats equipped with
outboard motors and are barely seaworthy. The boats are built to
accommodate 40 passengers but routinely carry over 60 if there is
sufficient demand.

For further information please contact:

Leonard Doyle

IOM Haiti

Tel: +509 3702 5066

E-mail: "mailto:ldoyle@iom.int">ldoyle@iom.int