Dominican Refugees Had To Eat Each Other To Stay Alive

Thirty one year-old Dominican fisherman Maria Marizan was one of four refugees left alive from a group of 31 who set sail October 17 from Sanchez for Puerto Rico before their boat’s engine died, leaving them stranded with no food. (Pictured is 39 year-old Franklin Almanzar Paulino, also a survivor.) The 160-mile trip across the Mona Passage was expected to be short, hence their lack of preparation. But, after 15 days without food and 27 people dead, Marizan took out his knife and began cutting flesh off the latest dead passengers’ leg and chest for the others to eat. “We cut little pieces and swallowed them like pills,” he told the Associated Press. Just a reminder of what people do to get into this country, in case you haven’t voted today. More sad details after the jump.

“It’s because of the critical condition we live in. My brother has two kids, I have three, our other had two,” [Marizan] said. “I would go out to sea sometimes up to a month, month and a half and catch nothing.”

Marizan and his brothers also have to care for their ailing father on little to no salary. The journey was offered to all three of them for the price of one while others paid up to $1800 each–a year’s salary in their impoverished country. Maria’s brother Emmanuel, aged 30, was among those who perished. In the end, the four remaining refugees were rescued one day after they decided to eat human flesh to survive.
Dominican migrant: We ate flesh to survive at sea [AP]
Image [Noticias SIN]