18 DIE AS MIGRANT BOAT SINKS

DOMINICAN MIGRAN BOAT
OVERTURNS, 18 DEAD

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic -  An overloaded boat carrying migrants from the Dominican Republic overturned in the pre-dawn darkness on Saturday off the coast of the Caribbean country, killing at least 18 people and leaving dozens missing, officials said.The migrants had left from near the town of Nagua, on the country's northeast coast, and were apparently headed to the U.S. island territory of Puerto Rico, a frequent destination for migrants from the Dominican Republic.Rescue teams from the country's Civil Defense Department and volunteers were searching by air and sea in Samana Bay for any signs of survivors.Authorities had rescued nine people and some said there were as many as 70 people on board, according to Jeffrey Pimentel, a fire chief in Samana Province. The bodies of 4 women and six men had been recovered.

The news agency reports that Dominican authorities were alerted several hours later and immediately launched a search and rescue operation. By Monday afternoon 18 people had been rescued, but it was unclear whether the unaccounted for were considered missing or had swum to safety. The boat was carrying up to 72 people when it overturned in rough weather. “We have 18 dead - six men and five women," Civil Defence Director, Luis Frias is quoted as saying.CNN says that the civil defence department, the Dominican navy, the Dominican air force and national police were all involved in the sea and air search. AP’s reporter in Santo Domingo said the migrants had left from near the town of Nagua, on the Dominican Republic’s northeast coast and were attempting to get to Puerto Rico.

An overloaded boat carrying migrants from the Dominican Republic capsized en route to the American island territory of Puerto Rice on Saturday, leaving at least 18 people dead. Thousands of Dominican migrants try to reach Puerto Rico as illegal immigrants in open boats that are ill-suited to the treacherous journey.  This material world is full of dangers, so it is urgent to take shelter under the lotus feet of Guru and Krishna.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

After eight million births we have got this precious human birth, Supreme Lord is pleased by creating human beings because human beings have got the discriminating power between eternal and non-eternal, good deeds and bad deeds, they have got the capability to worship Lord. But other living beings have got no such conscience, discriminating power. ... There is no guarantee that next we shall get human birth. ... By serving Him (Krishna) we serve all.  If we pour water at the root of the tree, all parts of the tree will be nourished; if we give food to the stomach, all parts of the body will be nourished; like that we should have firm faith- by serving Him we serve all.  Without serving Him, Who is the Prime Cause of all causes, we can neither do any good to ourselves nor to others, but only the valuable time of precious human birth will be unnecessarily wasted.

Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Mahārāja :
“Process of Initiation”
http://nandafalva.hu/cikkek/tanitasok/felavatas_en.htm
http://www.sreecgmath.org