They were at sea for 39 days in filthy conditions

VICTORIA - More than 100 Chinese nationals endured a 39-day ``nightmare'' of darkness, contaminated water and overflowing buckets of human waste before being plucked from the sea off Canada's West Coast.

``Think of your worst nightmare on a ship and that's what you've got,'' said Jim Redmond of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

While the stories of the 104 male and 18 female ``illegal migrants'' intercepted by the Canadian Coast Guard on Tuesday are still being gathered, federal officials yesterday painted a picture of their voyage as one of seaborne misery and tremendous luck.

At least one person told officials of a $38,000 (U.S.) pricetag for passage on the no-name, 55-metre former fishing boat.

Those on board, from Fujian province in southern China, slept by sliding into one of three wooden layers in the cargo hold, Redmond said.

The upper deck was ``filthy.'' Below, there was virtually no lighting, buckets were used as toilets and drinking water became contaminated, he added.

``There was lots of rice on board but we're getting information that the water was contaminated and whatever they cooked in the water was not fit for consumption,'' Redmond said.

The ship, towed into the Vancouver Island town of Gold River about 2 a.m. yesterday, was listing badly.

``I'm amazed that a ship in that condition can cross the Pacific Ocean, regardless of the season, and land on Canadian soil,'' Redmond said.

Naval Commander Randy Maze said it's remarkable that those on board are as healthy as they are.

``What would amaze me, as a sailor, would be that having made it this far in those kinds of horrible conditions, we would have as little illness and malnutrition among them as appears to be the case,'' said Maze, head of Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt, where the group is now detained.

``It's astounding that they're in as good a shape as they are, albeit hungry and tired.''

The 122 on board are being held under the Immigration Act but have not been charged. They were given a meal of chicken and rice soup before being put on school buses for the six-hour drive down to the Esquimalt base in suburban Victoria.

Some clapped as the buses pulled into the base. Others sat staring blankly out the windows.

Once at the base, they sat on the buses for more than two hours while military, immigration and RCMP officials awaited delivery of medical equipment and made last-minute preparations to the base gymnasium that will be their temporary home.

Crews worked overnight to fully enclose the compound surrounding the gym with a two-metre-high chain link fence. They also tore up bushes to leave the grounds wide open.

Many of the men and women looked rumpled and tired but otherwise fit as they were taken from the buses in groups of five for bathroom breaks, escorted by officials in surgical masks and gloves.

Some of the men were joined by so-called flex cuffs. They are among the 11 who have so far been identified as ring-leaders of the smuggling operation.

``We're keeping them as separate from the others as possible,'' Redmond said.

The ship's commander said the final destination was Canada, he added.

The RCMP is investigating any criminal links the boat may have to other smuggling operations, and also trying to establish if any of the 122 men and women have criminal records.

Federal officials are also investigating the sinking off the West Coast earlier this month of a derelict ship. There were no passengers on board and there's no indication it ever landed with people, they said.

At this point, they do not think the two vessels are linked.

While many of the migrants looked well-dressed in suits and dress slacks, Redmond said they were showing the effects of nearly six weeks at sea in ``abysmal'' conditions.

``Their clothing was in tatters, their shoes were falling apart,'' he said. ``Well, it was 40 days at sea.''

They were given medical exams, including chest X-rays and tuberculosis tests, in the gymnasium that was then converted to their sleeping and eating quarters.

Immigration officials were to begin interviewing them this morning to determine who they are, why they're here and what their intentions are on Canadian soil.

``They're in generally good health, very tired, very fatigued,'' Redmond said.

``I would guess they're happy to be on ground and in a somewhat protected state at this point.''

Federal officials have been readying for an influx of human smuggling because the practice has been increasing throughout the Pacific Rim, Redmond said.

Canada is working ``very closely'' with the Americans to combat the problem, he added.

``Human smuggling, we're learning, is worth a lot of money,'' Redmond said.

Some reports say about 100,000 Chinese a year pay smugglers to get them to a new country.

North America and Europe are the most popular destinations, but migrants dreaming of a new life often end up in low-wage sweatshops, or in criminal activities.

Redmond acknowledged that officials could have pushed the boat away from shore to prevent it from landing and avoid the expense and hassle of dealing with the migrants, but he said ``that's not Canada.''