Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

Dominican Republic migrants suffocate in shipping container
07-19-2006

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (Reuters): Four Dominican Republic migrants died and two were seriously ill after suffocating in a container on a ship that they hoped would smuggle them into the United States, police said on Tuesday.

Three of the dead men, age 23 to 26, had been identified but the fourth had no identity documents, said a police spokesman in the Caribbean country. Thousands of Dominicans try to reach the United States every year, hoping to improve their standards of living.

Dominican officials said the dead migrants had evaded security in Puerto Plata port, 117 miles (190 km) north of the capital Santo Domingo, and hidden in the container on board the vessel, which had been due to depart for Miami on Monday.

The two survivors, age 19 and 39, and the dead were found on Monday after a customs officer checking the container discovered a body and called for fire department paramedics.