Missionaries kidnapped in Haiti pulled off dangerous escape plot, church agency says
The American and Canadian missionaries held hostage in Haiti for nearly two months slipped past armed guards in a daring escape attempt that also saw them slinking through moonlit terrain on foot for about 10 miles — and all while tending to a pair of children.
One Canadian and 16 Americans were captured on Oct. 16 by the “400 Mawozo” gang in Croix-des-Bouquets, a northeast suburb outside the nation’s capital city of Port-au-Prince, which is part of the region controlled by the kidnappers. The group, made up of 12 adults and five children, including an 8-month-old, had just visited an orphanage as part of their mission work through Christian Aid Ministries when their vehicle became suddenly surrounded.
Two of the missionaries were later freed on Nov. 21 and another three hostages were released just two weeks later. In the wake of their abduction, gang members demanded $17 million — $1 million per person — in exchange for their safe return, though it’s not clear whether any of the funds were paid.
The other 12 people, however, busted out on their own Wednesday night. Details of their bold escape were shared during a press conference held by Christian Aid Ministries on Monday.
“They found a way to open the door that was closed and blocked, filed silently to the path that they had chosen to follow and quickly left the place that they were held, despite the fact that numerous guards were close by,” Weston Showalter, a spokesman for the Ohio-base religious agency told reporters.
He added an infant and 3-year-old child were wrapped up in blankets to protect them from the brambles and the harsh terrain the group was forced to navigate.
“After a number of hours of walking, day began to dawn and they eventually found someone who helped to make a phone call for help,” he said, his voice welling with emotion. “They were finally free.”
The freed group were flown to Florida on a U.S. Coast Guard flight, and have since been reunited with the five hostages who were previously released.
Authorities in Haiti have yet to confirm the account.
With News Wire Services
