Key facts
- Over 140 Venezuelans were deported from the US on June 24 and housed in a hotel in La Guaira.
- Hours after their arrival, twin earthquakes struck Venezuela, killing at least 2,200 people.
- Many of the deportees are missing, feared dead after the hotel they were staying in collapsed.
- Families of the missing deportees are desperately searching for information and their loved ones.
- Some deportees survived the disaster and recounted their harrowing experiences.
Venezuelan nationals deported from the United States arrived in their home country on June 24, only to be caught in the devastating aftermath of twin earthquakes that struck hours later. Many of the deportees, who were being housed in a hotel in the coastal city of La Guaira, are now missing or feared dead.
Abelardo Rincón, 23, who had lived in the US for six years, was among those on a deportation flight that landed on June 24. He called his family in Atlanta shortly after arriving, reporting that he and other deportees were being housed in a hotel. Hours later, earthquakes hit Venezuela, killing at least 2,200 people and injuring over 10,000, with UN figures indicating 50,000 missing. Rincón is among the missing.
His grandfather, Jose Rincón, has been searching morgues and attempting to visit the site of the collapsed hotel in La Guaira, a city heavily impacted by the disaster. "If we could just see what we need to see - if I could see the rubble, I'd be satisfied - but days have gone by and I still haven't found him, alive or dead," he told BBC Mundo.
Darwin Eliecer Serrano Lopez, 35, also called a cousin shortly before the first quake struck, having returned after four years in the US. His cousin believes he is dead and the family is searching for his body. Daniel Alejandro Nunez, 28, also contacted his mother upon arrival, but his family has been searching hospitals and morgues without success.
For families already separated by immigration status, the potential loss of loved ones immediately following their involuntary return is unimaginable. Mildrey Sarazo, wife of Darwin Serrano Lopez, has not yet told their daughters about his disappearance.
However, some passengers from the same flight survived. Lisbeth Portillo, 58, described being "born again" after surviving the hotel's collapse. Anderson Daniel Salcedo, 22, was found at a hospital after being trapped for nearly two days, but his legs had to be amputated. His grandmother expressed love for him regardless of his injuries.