Haiti Missionaries Say They Used Stars to Guide Escape

The missionaries freed last week after having been abducted in Haiti in October are telling their story. A spokesperson for Christian Aid Ministries spoke at a news conference in Ohio, the BBC reports, giving a dramatic account that, the New York Times notes, has not been independently verified. He says that after five people were released, the 12 who were still being held hostage decided to escape. They "found a way to open the door that was closed and blocked" and somehow got past "numerous guards that were close by," he says. Seeing a mountain feature they knew as a landmark, they figured out which way to go, also using the stars for guidance.

He says the group, which included a baby, a toddler, and two teens, traveled through the night, possibly walking as many as 10 miles "through woods and thickets, working through thorns and briars." They eventually found someone who helped them make a phone call, and they were soon on their way to Florida thanks to a Coast Guard flight. The spokesperson also said some amount of ransom had been paid by a third party, though he did not say that was what led to the hostages' freedom. Police and government officials in Haiti have not commented on the release of the captives, nor has the FBI said anything other than it is grateful they are safe. The State Department said no ransom was paid by the US government. (More Haiti stories.)