At least 27 boatpeople still missing in fatal voyage

NAGUA, Dominican Republic.- At least 27 of 95 boatpeople who went missing Sunday after their yola boat headed to Puerto Rico illegally sank near shore at Matancitas beach (northeast) have yet to be found, Civil Defense (DC) affirmed Monday.

CD director Minerva Santos said bad weather in the zone forced the suspension of their search yesterday, although the Dominican Navy craft continued looking for survivors or bodies. Only the bodies of Jose Augusto Polanco, Edwin Frannier de la Cruz and Pedro Ramirez Sanchez have been recovered thus far.

Santos said one of the survivors affirmed that 65 undocumented travelers managed to reach the shore, but at least 27 others didn’t because of the many reefs where the boat broke apart and sank.

Investigation

Justice minister Radhamés Jiménez yesterday named a commission to investigate the causes of the tragedy, headed by Frank Soto, director of the entity’s Narco-trafficking and Complex Crimes Unit.