NEWS: 4 Colombians dead, 16 missing after trying to illegally enter Aruba

Four Colombians have been found dead on the reefs off the coast of Aruba the last two days. They were trying to enter the island illegally by boat. The captain of the boat has been charged with several counts of murder, because according to the lone surviving witness, he pushed the people out of the boat some distance away from the coast of the island.



Several times a week illegal immigrants try to enter our island illegally by boat, so they can come here to live and try to find a job. Tragedies like this happen because the captains of the boats try to avoid being caught by coming too close to the Arubian coast. They throw the passengers out a few hundred meters up to some kilometers away, and then they have two swim towards the shore. I hope that word of this gets out in Colombia and Venezuela to avoid such tragedies, and to avoid more illegals trying to get to the island. They pay up to $200 or $300 just to reah to the island by boat which is a great risk. The risks are drowning or getting caught by the authorities, which are either the Dutch coastguard or the Arubian police.

This has happened in the close proximity of two of the beaches where I have swam the most times of my life. There are reefs about 100 meters off the coast that keep the rough water from coming in.

Furthermore there are some parts of the article that are not true. The boat did not sink, it's in custody and so is the captain and the survivor. And like I said before, the captain is charged for murder after admitting to pushing the passengers out of the boat.

[edit on 16-3-2005 by TheBandit795]

Interesting to hear about illegal immigration (and emigration) in other parts of the world. Also very interteresting to get a personal account from someone on the scene.

Yep, and they've captured another boat with about 20 illegals yesterday also. Their pictures are in the local newspapers.

Wonder how long it will take before pro-ilegals come along and post

"well they were just looking for a better life what is wrong with that?"

Interesting find, thanks for posting it.

Well it's a huge problem on the island. We already have 98000 legal inhabitants (which was about 60000 in my childhood, 15-25 years ago), and they're expecting the population to reach 130000 within 20 years.

Some of the illegals found yesterday are also people that have been deported before.

Oh I am sure it is a huge problem, just as it is for the US.

I am still surprised that after a few hours none of the pro-ilegals have shown up to put in their two cents, just to whine they are only looking for a better life. In the absense of no replies from them it shows what hippocrates they are.