After drifting for two weeks at sea, Gregorio María Marizan felt that he was about to succumb to dehydration and hunger. By this time, 27 immigrants had already died on the drifting boat. When another man collapsed and stopped breathing, Marizan realized he had no choice but to take extreme measures to survive. He said that he and other survivors cut meat from the legs and chest of the deceased and ate it in small pieces, swallowing it like medicine.
Marizan and four others were the only remaining survivors of 33 Dominican immigrants traveling to Puerto Rico by small wooden boat. During the journey, the boat’s engine broke down, and the captain disappeared. Stranded far from the planned route, the survivors could only rely on rainwater and seawater to survive, suffering from severe hunger and thirst.
The survivors watched one after another perish. As the bodies were discarded, Marizan suggested they take drastic action. After enduring 15 days without food or water, he believed extreme steps were necessary for survival. He had brought a knife but had not packed any food, as he originally thought the trip would be short. In this desperate situation, they had no choice but to eat the dead to stay alive. 
The Difficult Decision to Eat the Deceased
Choosing to eat the dead was an incredibly difficult decision. Marizan and the other Dominican immigrants understood that the 160-mile journey across the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico was highly dangerous. The passage contained sharks and was patrolled by law enforcement. The turbulent and stormy waters were a huge challenge for those traveling in 25-30 foot wooden fishing boats called “yolas,” with untrained crews. Despite the dangers, Marizan felt he had no choice but to continue.
Marizan, a fisherman who had been divorced for four years, shared that his life in San Francisco de Macorís was unstable. He struggled to support his 7-year-old son and two daughters, ages 6 and 4. He and his two brothers were also caring for their elderly, sick father. Marizan mentioned that life was extremely difficult; his brothers each had children, and he had three of his own. Sometimes, he would go out to sea for a month or even a month and a half without catching any fish. One day, he felt he had found a way out.
The Journey Begins
In the small northern town of Nagua, on the Samana Peninsula, Marizan met a captain named Francisco Soler. Soler frequently sailed to Puerto Rico and offered Marizan a deal. If one person paid, Marizan and his brothers could travel for free. Some passengers paid up to $1,800 for the trip, which was more than a year’s salary for many Dominicans. One of the other survivors even mortgaged his house to afford the journey. But for Marizan, this deal seemed like a good opportunity.
The group departed from Sánchez on the Samana Peninsula around 7 a.m. on October 17. On a calm morning, Marizan boarded the boat with his brothers Saulo and Emanuel, along with several female passengers, the youngest being 19 years old. After a day and a half of sailing, the engine began to malfunction. The passengers debated whether to turn back. Fearing law enforcement, the captain decided to continue toward the U.S. territory.
A Struggle for Survival
On the sixth day, one passenger died. On the seventh night, the captain disappeared. Marizan wasn’t sure whether the captain had gone swimming to find help or if he had been pushed overboard by other passengers. The remaining survivors drank some seawater and rainwater and did their best to hold on. But one by one, they began to die, including Marizan’s brother Emanuel.
The day before they were rescued, the survivors had no choice but to eat a recently deceased companion. Marizan described the meat as “tasting like beef, almost the same.” On Saturday, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued Marizan, his brother Saulo, a father and son, and one woman. However, the woman died in the hospital where Marizan was recovering, on Sunday. Marizan reflected, saying, “This is a miracle from God. I just prayed that we would have one or two survivors to tell our story.”
