Families in Venezuela are desperately searching for relatives who were deported from the United States shortly before a series of powerful earthquakes struck the country. The deportees, some of whom had not seen their families in years, were aboard Flight 164, which landed in Venezuela just hours before the tremors.
Reports indicate that some individuals deported on Flight 164 were caught in building collapses that followed the earthquakes. Amidst the chaos and destruction, families have been unable to confirm the status of their loved ones, leading to agonizing uncertainty. Many are seeking proof of their relatives' whereabouts, with some desperately hoping to identify and bury them.
One woman, Mildrey Sarazo, has not seen her husband, Darwin Serrano Lopez, in three years. She is awaiting confirmation of his fate after he was deported. Another passenger, Daniel Alejandro Nunez, 28, reportedly called his mother while still in U.S. custody before his deportation and subsequent presumed entrapment.
Anderson Daniel Salcedo, 22, who had lived in the U.S. for three years and sent money home, was found at Caracas's university hospital. His grandmother, Marlene Lozano, told Reuters that his legs had been amputated after he was trapped under rubble for nearly two days. Lozano stated that he was unidentifiable for a time because he had no identification on him.
Survivors of the hotel collapse recounted harrowing experiences of climbing out of rubble. Lisbeth Portillo, 58, described the moment her hotel room crumbled, leaving her and 16 other women screaming for help. She told the Associated Press that she felt she was "born again" and had been given a second chance at life. Days passed before some families received confirmation that their relatives had survived.