104 Missing After Boat Sinks Off Columbia (moved from ATSNN), page 1

A boat carrying 113 illegal immigrants sunk off the coast of Columbia in the Pacific ocean two days ago. Only 9 survivors have been found floating on wooden boxes, they suffered severe sunburn. According to the Columbian navy who rescued the survivors, the boat was only meant to carry 15 people.

news.yahoo.com
BOGOTA, Colombia - A small boat overloaded with 113 illegal immigrants capsized and sank in rough waters off Colombia's Pacific coast, officials said Wednesday. Only nine survivors were found, their faces scorched with sunburn after two days spent clinging to a wooden box, buoys and a gasoline container.

Ecuadorean Navy Capt. Armando Elizalde told Colombian RCN television most of those aboard "sank with the boat." The Colombian Navy said the immigrants' boat was meant to hold only 15 people.

The disaster that hit the boat — whose passengers were believed to be heading for the United States — occurred Friday night more than 100 miles off the coast of southwest Colombia.

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A tragedy waiting to happen. The boat was grossly overloaded and its no surprise that it sunk. There is nothing that can be done to stop this kind of desperate act aside from taking on the people smugglers.

There will be people, however, that will be glad this has happened and hope it serves as a deterent to future illegal immigrants. I for one. speaking as a legal immigrant, fully empathise with the desire for a better life. What a shame.

[edit on 18/8/05 by subz]