In an extraordinary tale of survival, a small migrant boat carrying 16 people from the Dominican Republic drifted helplessly for nearly two weeks in shark-infested waters — and its passengers say they owe their lives to one woman’s breast milk.
According to the Chicago Tribune and other outlets, the group — eight men and eight women — left a beach near Sabana de la Mar on January 3, 2001, paying between US$125 and US$250 each to be smuggled across the treacherous Mona Passage to Puerto Rico in hopes of a better life. But shortly after setting off, the boat’s compass failed. Strong currents pushed them off course into the open Atlantic, and within three days all of their food, drinking water and fuel were gone.
As dehydration and exhaustion set in, 31-year-old passenger Faustina Mercedes noticed her sister, Elena, becoming dangerously weak. Mercedes had been breastfeeding her one-year-old daughter, and in desperation she offered some of her milk to Elena. To everyone’s surprise, it revived her almost immediately — prompting Mercedes to share her milk with all 15 other passengers.
She even devised a rotation system: each person was allowed to nurse for about 10 seconds a day to preserve her limited supply. Working with her sister, she also practiced “reverse feeding,” allowing Elena to help her maintain enough nutrition to keep producing milk. In effect, Mercedes became the boat’s lifeline.
During the ordeal the group also tried to eat whatever washed up, including spoiled fruit, while waving at passing ships for help to no avail. On the 12th day they finally spotted land. Tearing off planks from the vessel to use as makeshift paddles, they rowed with the current and managed to reach shore — an outcome authorities say is rare for such crossings.
Mercedes was hailed as a “hero at sea” after the rescue. She downplayed the praise, saying: “It was God who gave me the idea. I just did what I had to do.” At the same time, news emerged that another smuggling boat carrying 45 people in nearby waters had disappeared, underscoring how miraculous the group’s survival was.
