More than 100 Venezuelans deported from the United States hours before deadly twin earthquakes in Venezuela are reported missing, with some families and survivors saying at least some people were killed. Multiple outlets report that a deportation flight arrives in Venezuela and deportees are held at or housed in a hotel in the La Guaira area when the earthquakes strike. The tremors lead to building damage and collapse, triggering an emergency search for people trapped under rubble.
Al Jazeera and The New York Times report the US deports at least 146 Venezuelans around the day of the earthquakes, while other outlets describe “more than 100” deportees missing. NBC News says families report varying outcomes, including one person confirmed dead and others believed missing, with relatives receiving calls shortly before the disaster. Accounts describe ongoing efforts to locate survivors and bodies after the hotel is destroyed.
The reports focus on the timing of the deportation, the deportees’ confinement at the hotel, and the subsequent scramble to recover those caught in the earthquake aftermath.
