大象传媒

A home made wooden fishing vessel carrying more than 70 people broke up in the heavy seas north of the Dominican Republic in February.

The captain, one of the few survivors, has been arrested on people smuggling charges.

It's hard to know how many people died that night, but unconfirmed reports say more than 50 lost their lives.

Their bodies were washed up on the shore near Sabana de La Mar where local residents and fisherman helped to retrieve them.

For Assignment, Neal Razzell tells the story of a community in shock and investigates why people are willing to risk their lives to be find work in the United States.

The producer of this edition of Assignment was Alicia Trujillo.

(Image: Fisherman from Sabana de La Mar)