Miami, Oct 30: More than 200 Haitian illegal immigrants swam ashore and were promptly picked up by police after they jumped off a rickety wooden ship that was beached near an elevated highway between Miami and the island of Key Biscayne. Authorities late Tuesday said they had rounded up 220 refugees, but that a few may be missing. A police helicopter with heat-sensing equipment was being used at night to search for the refugees both on land and at sea.

"We're still looking for anyone who got away. Whether we find them or not, that's anyone's guess," James Goldman, assistant director of investigations for the Immigration and Naturalization Service told reporters.

Four refugees were treated for dehydration or minor injuries, the INS said.
Television images Tuesday showed the immigrants jumping off a rickety 15-metre (50-foot) wooden boat -- the cabin's roof was part of a billboard and plastic drums hung from one of its side -- that seemed to purposely have been beached at the foot of the Rickembacker Causeway. Bureau Report