Signs of Another Survivor in Haiti Don't Pan Out

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Jan. 26) -- Sgt. Darren McIntyre said he heard them clearly on Tuesday. Two small but distinct taps from rocks being banged together inside the heart of the Napoli Inn in the downtown section of Haiti's capital. Two small but distinct taps that give hope to the family of the inn's owner, Ronel Dorilas, who have been begging U.S. soldiers to investigate, insisting he was still alive inside.

"Maybe he is alive, maybe he isn't. We just don't know," Dorilas' sister, Linda Dorilas, said.

The family had reason for hope. Family members said they have received text messages from Dorilas, confirming that he is still alive, though many believe the messages were sent just after the earthquake and delayed for days because of service failure.

Emily Troutman

The Fairfax County, Va., Urban Search and Rescue Team arrives at the scene in Port-au-Prince.

Dorilas was also trapped in the same building where 24-year-old Wismond Exantus was discovered alive Saturday, the same day Haiti's government officially ended the hunt for survivors of the Jan. 12 earthquake. His exit was greeted by a crowd of hundreds, including journalists and locals who gathered at the unlikely scene.

But there was no such triumphant scene Tuesday afternoon. The unsuccessful search was just a stark reminder that the hope for survivors in Haiti's earthquake has finally receded.

More bodies have surfaced around the Napoli Inn, unearthed as heavy machinery has begun to tear down vulnerable structures and remove debris. But for a short while Tuesday it looked as if another survivor might be found.

At noon, Army troops from the 82nd Airborne out of Fort Bragg, N.C., called in search-and-rescue teams after McIntyre and others heard the tapping.

Emily Troutman

Wismond Exantus, who survived 11 days in the Napoli Inn before being rescued Saturday, returned to the scene Tuesday.

Virginia's Fairfax County's Urban Search and Rescue Team responded. Shortly after arriving, the team blew a whistle to urge the surrounding crowd to stay quiet as a sensitive listening device called the Delsar Life Detector did its job. But the device failed to pick up any signs of survivors. The search was officially called off within an hour.

Making the final decision was difficult. Leaders of the search asked at least twice if the team was confident that no one could be found.

"We searched everywhere we could reach short of delayering the building there's nothing more we can do," said Mark Plunkett, a spokesman for the rescue squad.

It was a far different scene than the one that occurred Saturday, when Exantus, who survived for 11 days in the Napoli Inn, was rescued. Greek, French and U.S. search-and-rescue teams took more than five hours to free Exantus from the wreckage of what had been a hotel, restaurant, bar and convenience store.

Emily Troutman

Exantus, next to his brother Jean Pierre, was surprised when local guide and translator Karl Jean-Jeune explained that U.S. soldiers believe they heard tapping from the building's owner, Ronel Dorilas, who is believed to be trapped inside.

When Exantus was pulled out, he said there were five other people inside the building who were able to survive because some food remained. The teams used heat-sensitive equipment as well as highly sensitive listening devices, but were unable to locate additional survivors on Saturday.

Family members of other people trapped in the building's wreckage have been adamant that some may still be alive. That is a common sentiment right now in Haiti, especially among people whose families or friends were trapped in markets or stores. Many believe that people inside the Caribbean Market, another site of a late rescue, are still alive. With food or water, the likelihood of their survival increases exponentially.

But a representative of the Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue team said that this is the longest they have ever been deployed post-disaster, and that the typical length of stay for their team is 10 days. Wismond's rescue was unbelievable to most. And finding him alive came only after an unlikely turn of events.

Emily Troutman

Much of the rubble, including the broken down car, has been removed from the scene of the Napoli Inn in downtown Port-au-Prince, seen here on Saturday.

This part of Port-au-Prince has been a magnet for looters, who have been combing through dangerous buildings looking for food and salvageable items. A former market district, the area was one of the worst hit by the earthquake.

On Saturday, Greek journalists traveling by motorcycle with a local guide and translator, Karl Jean-Jeune, stopped at the Napoli Inn because they saw what seemed like an unusual scene. Sotiris Danezis, a documentary filmmaker, said, "People were in a crowd talking, but not fighting, not looting -- standing there and talking."

Three members of the Haitian National Police were on the scene but only watching.

Emily Troutman

On Saturday, a member of the Hellenic search-and-rescue team rushed to the Napoli Inn. They were called in by Greek journalists, who just happened upon a crowd of concerned family members and locals.

The visitors saw Wismond Exantus' brother, Jean-Pierre, who insisted: "I swear he's alive. I knock, he knocks back."

Danezis was initially reluctant to call in search-and-rescue teams in case it was a false alarm. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Completely sure? It was today you heard him? Today?"

He finally called the Hellenic search-and-rescue team, which arrived within an hour. A French team arrived an hour later, and the U.S. team finally came two hours later with heavy equipment.

The French team was at the airport, about to fly out of Haiti when the Greeks called asking for assistance. The U.S. team consisted of members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. They said they were planning to stay at least a few more days in case of events like Tuesday's.

Emily Troutman

A member of the French search-and-rescue team, which partnered primarily with the Hellenic search-and-rescue team, called for silence among the 150 or so people watching the rescue from the street on Saturday.

Following Tuesday's unsuccessful search, Dorilas' family, including his cousin, Daniel Jean, are beginning to accept his likely death.

But Daniel Jean said he will be back Wednesday to remove more of the debris and see if, at least, a body can be found.

Emily Troutman

On Saturday, Jean Pierre Exantus called his family to tell them Wismond was alive.

Emily Troutman

After 11 days trapped inside the Napoli Inn, Wismond Exantus was taken out alive and transferred by ambulance to the hospital. He was released from the hospital Tuesday.

Emily Troutman

A crowd gathered at a mass vigil on Saturday to celebrate the rescue of Exantus.

Emily Troutman

Linda Dorilas, the sister of Napoli Inn owner Ronel Dorilas, waits in front of the building's remains on Monday. She has been adamant that her brother is still alive inside.