WSJ:反送中港青越過南海來台 憶起驚濤駭浪「嚇得要死」


  • WSJ:反送中港青越過南海來台 憶起驚濤駭浪「嚇得要死」
    2021/06/20 20:36

    https://ec.ltn.com.tw/article/breakingnews/3576389
    〔財經頻道/綜合報導〕去年7月5名參與反送中運動港青乘坐充氣艇抵達台灣後,台灣及美國對其行蹤三緘其口。《華爾街日報》今(20)天揭露,5人抵達台灣後,美國和台灣花了6個月的時間才找到讓他們安全離開的方法。今年1月13日,5名港青飛往蘇黎世,再轉往紐約,目前正尋求政治庇護。其中1位回憶當時的驚濤駭浪,稱「看到無法識別的船隻時,我們嚇得要死」,顯見逃離香港的凶險程度。

    《華爾街日報》獨家披露5名港青逃離香港的凶險過程,稱5人年齡介於 18 至 26 歲之間,在 2020 年 7 月啟程前幾乎不認識。
    7月中旬的一個早晨,5人聚集在一個偏僻的碼頭,所有人都穿著不顯眼的T恤和短褲,一個帶了魚竿,另一個帶著畢生積蓄,唯恐他們其中有人是間諜,彼此很少交流。
    當他們從香港乘坐充氣快艇出發時,只帶著 iPhone 和指南針,引導他們穿越數百英里的公海到達台灣。過程中,他們專注觀察上方和身後是否有中共追擊的跡象,在驚濤駭浪中,行駛5個多小時,卻發現手機上的 GPS 顯示仍在中國水域。
    抵達台灣 藏身高雄
    雷(化名)告訴華爾街日報,他們看到無法識別的船隻時,「我們嚇得要死」。後來在黑暗中用手電筒發出求救信號,一個時辰後,遠處出現一道白光,是台灣海警。
    5人先是被帶到東沙,然後抵達高雄的一個秘密地點,有些人原本希望留在台灣,但都被告知必須離開。據知情人士透露,台灣國家安全官員擔心被北京用作入侵台灣的藉口。
    落腳美國 尋求庇護
    另一位知情人士透露,美國和台灣花了6個月的時間,才找到5人安全離開的方法。今年1 月 13 日,5人乘坐商業航班飛往蘇黎世,再轉往紐約。
    抵達後,這些人自逃亡以來第一次透過視訊與家人聯繫,其中3名接受了華爾街日報的專訪,湯米(化名)的父母、弟弟和妹妹激動的不斷哭泣,而雷的母親得知他還活著,非常驚訝。雷和湯米目前住在紐約,一起租了地下室公寓,2人都想上大學並加入美國軍隊。
    肯尼(化名)則搬到華盛頓特區,與其他香港難民住在一間公寓裡,還與其他人共同創立組織,幫助來自香港反送中抗議者。

    https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-five-hong-kong-protesters-escaped-by-speedboat-found-freedom-in-the-u-s-11624183200?mod=hp_lead_pos7
    How Five Hong Kong Protesters Escaped by Speedboat, Found Freedom in the U.S.

    The men barely knew each other before crossing the South China Sea to Taiwan. ‘We were scared to death,’ one said of their journey.

    TAIPEI—As five men cut through the vast waters of the South China Sea in an inflatable speedboat, they kept a close watch above and behind them for signs of pursuit.
    They had set out from Hong Kong that morning under blue skies, with only iPhones and a compass to guide them across hundreds of miles of open sea to Taiwan. As they steered into deeper waters, waves jolted the vessel, sending life jackets overboard and knocking some of them off their feet.
    The five, whose ages ranged from 18 to 26, barely knew each other before they set off in July 2020. They were all fugitives from Hong Kong, fleeing what they considered to be unfair prosecution and inevitable prison sentences for their roles in pro-democracy protests in 2019.
    Months after reaching Taiwan, all five eventually made it to the U.S. to seek asylum, after the U.S. State Department got involved.
    This account of the only group confirmed to have journeyed to freedom by boat is based on interviews with three of the men. Those three were on the run from Hong Kong authorities at the time of their escape, with two of them charged and facing possible multiyear prison sentences. The circumstances of the remaining two men on the boat couldn’t be determined.