A British mother has revealed her agonising battle to evacuate her young children from Haiti as gang violence plunges the Caribbean nation into chaos. Mary, who relocated from Westport to Haiti with her Haitian partner years ago, now faces bureaucratic nightmares and deadly risks trying to bring her family to safety.
A Mother's Worst Nightmare
"Every explosion I hear, I wonder if it's near my babies," the distressed mother told The Independent. Her three children - aged 9, 7 and 3 - remain stranded in Port-au-Prince while she navigates complex immigration hurdles from the UK. The family became separated when Mary traveled to Britain to renew visas, unaware Haiti would descend into anarchy during her absence.
Bureaucratic Barriers Compound Danger
Despite the Foreign Office advising against all travel to Haiti, Mary encounters shocking obstacles:
- UK authorities demand Haitian documents that are impossible to obtain amid the crisis
- Her partner cannot secure a UK visa without risking the journey through gang-controlled areas
- Commercial evacuation flights cost upwards of £10,000 - far beyond the family's means
A Nation in Collapse
Haiti's capital has become a warzone since Prime Minister Ariel Henry's resignation, with:
- 80% of Port-au-Prince under gang control
- Essential services including hospitals no longer functioning
- UN reporting 1,500 killed in first three months of 2024
"I just want to hold my children again," Mary pleads, as the UK government faces calls to urgently assist stranded British families.
