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Water

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In 1994 Cuban balseros turned the tiny fishing village of Cojimar into a major point of embarkation for thousands seeking a better life. Here, Alex Castillo del Campo, 18, carries bottles of water in preparation for his long voyage on a makeshift raft departing Cojimar Cuba. He wrapped a cloth around his head to protect himself from sunburn. Many of the rafters died of thirst, sun exposure, or shark attack. Some developed skin ulcers, similar to bed sores, as a result of clinging to the sides of inner tubes. Others suffered from hypothermia, because the water, while warm at that time of year, was still below body temperature. Many, suffering hallucinations, jumped off their rafts.
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Al Diaz/Miami Herald
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Balseros
In 1994 Cuban balseros turned the tiny fishing village of Cojimar into a major point of embarkation for thousands seeking a better life. Here, Alex Castillo del Campo, 18, carries bottles of water in preparation for his long voyage on a makeshift raft departing Cojimar Cuba. He wrapped a cloth around his head to protect himself from sunburn. Many of the rafters died of thirst, sun exposure, or shark attack. Some developed skin ulcers, similar to bed sores, as a result of clinging to the sides of inner tubes. Others suffered from hypothermia, because the water, while warm at that time of year, was still below body temperature. Many, suffering hallucinations, jumped off their rafts.