The lone survivor in a capsized vessel smuggling people from Bahamas to Florida confirmed Jamaicans were amongst those who perished.
According to the survivor of the capsized boat near Florida’s coast, at least 15 other migrants attempted to hold onto the vessel but were unable to do so. Some were tired and hungry when they gave up.
Juan Esteban Montoya Caicedo from Colombia said that there was a baby girl among 40 people that included Dominicans and Haitians as well as Bahamians and Jamaicans. On January 22, they set off for Florida from Bimini, Bahamas.
He said that his sister was in the group, but she drowned.
According to authorities, the boat capsized within minutes of departing.
As Montoya spoke, Montoya was seated beside his mother Marcia Caicedo. According to him, the motor had failed in the early morning of Sunday and the boat was left stranded in rough seas for four hours. He stated that he had told his younger sister to pray, prepare for all the worst and keep holding on to the boat.
The vessel was then overturned by a huge wave and they were split up.
“I was able to see her again. However, as I tried to help her, others grabbed her. Everyone was holding onto everyone. He said that she drowned because of this.
Montoya stated that a smaller group held onto the boat but that the group grew smaller over time. He said, “What we were going though was so hard, some people let it go.” “The lack or food, water, or rest can affect you and they chose that path.”
Montoya stated that others clung to their boat until Monday afternoon. His rescue would take place the next day.
It was much more difficult to be left alone. My mental and physical health were deteriorating. He said that being alone was just one more blow. “But I didn’t lose hope.”
Montoya held onto the boat for two days, measuring 25 feet (7.6 metres) before being rescued. Montoya stated that he spent most of his time in the water holding on to the motor, which made him feel warmer. However, the night before his rescue, he had climbed onto the hull and his image was captured by a merchant ship.
Montoya stated that the siblings were moving to better lives and safety. Naimeh Salem, his attorney, stated that he would apply to for political asylum, but could not provide more information about the case.
After looking online and finding people who said it was simpler to migrate by sea than on land, he said that they decided to go for it. Most migrants travel through Central America and Mexico in order to reach the US border.
The disaster is being investigated by authorities as a possible human-smuggling operation that went awry.
Montoya stated that “Criminals will tell you it’s safe.” They tell you that you’ll arrive in Miami in just three to four hours if you come from the Bahamas. They will tell you that only a handful of people are traveling with you and that they provide a life jacket.
He said that they still decided to board the boat to try to reach the USA. Montoya stated that he believed he survived to tell his parents about what happened to his sister. He said, “I hope God has something very large for me because my heart is now broken,” “A small part of me was taken.”
Marcia Caicedo is the mother and lives in Houston, Texas. Although she said that her daughter’s body was not found, she kept in touch with the US Coast Guard. They suspended the search for missing persons on Thursday after discovering five bodies.
Caicedo stated that she wishes the search had continued and added that the pain of her loss keeps growing and “the night lasts forever”. She said, “But here, I am remaining strong for my son.” “I will give him the strength and support that he requires.”
