WORLD NATIONAL SPORTS BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT
Would-be immigrants dumped on beach, mystery
ship seized
GREG JOYCE
SANDSPIT, B.C. (CP) - A mystery ship carrying
about 150 migrants dumped its human cargo and forced them to swim to
a beach on the Queen Charlotte Islands before trying to elude
Canadian authorities.
RCMP believe the people - men, women and children
from China - were forced to swim to shore after they were dropped at
Gilbert Bay on the southern most island in the picturesque island
chain.
"It appears that the individuals were made to load
off the ship and make their way to the beach," said RCMP Const.
Tracey Rook.
"It's likely they had to swim."
Rook couldn't say how far the group was forced to swim.
After the migrants were dumped, the unmarked ship then attempted
to head back out to sea and made it 80 kilometres before they were
stopped.
"At that time, a Department of National Defence (aircraft) came
in and hailed the vessel, advised it to cease and desist and to turn
around," Rook said. "It did that."
An RCMP vessel then went out and seized the ship, arresting eight
Koreans on board. The ship is believed to have originated in Korea,
said George Varnai, a spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration.
Some of those on the beach are children that appear to be younger
than 13, officials said.
"There has been no evidence so far of loss of life, however, the
coast guard does consider this to be a search and rescue operation,"
said George Varnai, a spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration.
The department sent officers and medical personnel to the beach
to interview the migrants and ensure they are safe.
Varnai said none appeared to need medical help.
Officials were working to try to get the group off the beach
quickly as the cold, windy and foggy weather conditions worsened.
There's evidence they may have had to swim at least a short
distance to shore. Varnai said the people on the beach were wet.
The group is believed to have come from Fujian province in China.
It's the same place where an earlier group of 123 migrants came from
last month.
That group arrived on the west coast shore of Vancouver Island in
the stinking hold of a rusted, decrepit ship.
They were taken to a naval base in Esquimalt near Victoria and
all have claimed refugee status.
Thirty-seven have been detained and police suspect some of the
smugglers are among them.
The latest group of migrants is also expected to be taken to
Esquimalt, where a makeshift detention centre in the base gymnasium
remains intact.
The first ship prompted questions about Canada's immigration and
refugee policies and the latest arrival is sure to spark a national
debate about whether Canada is too lax.
Caplan said Wednesday her government plans to change the
country's immigration laws to address human smuggling.
But she ruled out the use of force to turn back a ship.
"There are those that are suggesting that we use force and I say
to them: 'Are you proposing that we sink the boat?' " she
asked.
"Certainly we have to consider what kind of an approach is
acceptable to all Canadians."
Officials had hoped to make contact with the ship Tuesday night,
but the vessel started zig-zagging on its way into Canadian waters.
The military, coast guard and RCMP were supposed to be keeping an
eye on it, but some reporters questioned how the ship could have
gotten into the bay long enough to dump its passengers and then turn
around and head back to sea.
"There are a number of inlets and bays in the area in which this
is taking place," Rook said.
"The weather is very bad out there, the sea is very, very choppy
and visibility is extremely poor. There is very heavy fog out
there."
© The Canadian Press, 1999
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