decompression sickness or other diving–related ailments, 30 12 of whom died as a result of
such accidents; 31 b) seven Miskito divers who died as a result of the fire aboard the
“Lancaster” boat in which they were traveling, due to the explosion of a butane tank; 32 c) the
child Licar Méndez Gutiérrez, who was abandoned in a cayuco by the boat owner and whose
whereabouts are unknown, and d) their next of kin. In relation to the administrative or judicial
claims filed by the alleged victims, the Court notes the following: a) 11 divers obtained an
administrative response from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, the General
Directorate of Social Security or the Office of Occupational Health and Safety 33 and, b) three
divers obtained a judicial response from the Labor Court. 34 The Court also notes that as a
result of those administrative proceedings 18 divers, or their families, received monetary
compensation. 35
VI.
CONSIDERATIONS OF THE COURT REGARDING THE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
COMMITTED AGAINST THE VICTIMS
41.
Without prejudice to the State’s acknowledgment of responsibility for the violations
described in the Merits Report and the cessation of the dispute in these proceedings, the
Court, within the framework of its jurisdiction, and in consideration of the relevance and
magnitude of the facts, and the joint petition submitted by the State and the representatives
(supra para. 13), considers it necessary to refer to the rights violated in the instant case.
Thus, the Court deems it appropriate to analyze the content of the rights that were impaired
by virtue of the fishing activities in the Miskito territory - with special emphasis on the rights
to life, personal integrity, health and social security, work and fair and satisfactory conditions
that ensure the health and safety of the worker, given the close relationship existing between
these rights and the violations that occurred in this case - in order to establish the scope of
30
Opario Lemoth Morris, Saipón Richard Toledo, Eran Herrera Palisto, Bernardo Blackaus Emos, Alí Herrera
Ayanco, Mármol Williams García, José Martínez López, Ramón Allen Felman, Alfredo Francisco Brown, Próspero
Bendles Marcelino, Roger Gómez Alfred, Timoteo Salazar Zelaya, Timoteo Lemus Pisatty, Onasis Cooper, Flaviano
Martínez López, Carcoth Padmoe Miller, Amistero Bans Valeriano, Rolando Mónico Thomas, Ralph Valderramos
Álvarez, Ex Dereck Claro, Leonel Saty Méndez, David Esteban Bradley, Evecleto Londres Yumida, Arpin Robles
Tayaton, Daniel Flores Reyes, Freddy Federico Salazar, Cooper Cresencio Jems, Félix Osario Presby, Efraín Rosales
Kirington, Melesio Pamistan Maick, Willy Gómez Pastor, Roberto Flores Esteban, Daniel Dereck Thomas and Carlos
Castellón Cárdenas.
31
Opario Lemoth Morris, Saipon Richard Toledo, Eran Herrera Paulisto, Bernardo Blackaus Emos, Alí Herrera
Ayanco, Mármol Williams García, José Martínez López, Ramón Allen Felman, Alfredo Francisco Brown, Próspero
Bendles Marcelino, Roger Gómez Alfred and Timoteo Salazar Zelaya.
32
Hildo Ambrosio Trino, Andrés Miranda Clemente, Lorenzo Leman Bonaparte, Bernardo Julián Trino, José Trino
Pérez Nacril, Rómulo Flores Henriquez and Amilton Bonaparte Clemente.
Flaviano Martínez López, Carcoth Padmoe Miller, Amistero Bans Valeriano, Rolando Mónico Thomas, Ex Dereck
Claro, Onasis Cooper Brown, Saipón Richard Toledo, Melesio Pamistan Maick, Willy Gómez Pastor, Próspero Bendles
Marcelino and Carlos Castellón Cárdenas.
33
34
Flaviano Martínez López, Timoteo Lemus Pisatty and Carlos Castellón Cárdenas.
In this regard, it is important to note that: a) two divers or their families received full compensation (Mármol
Williams García and José Martínez López); b) 16 divers or their families received partial compensation (Opario Lemoth
Morris, Cacorth Padmoe Miller, Rolando Mónico Thomas, Timoteo Lemus Pisatty, Daniel Flores Reyes, Onasis Cooper
Brown, Anastacio Saipón Richard Toledo, Melesio Pamistan Mack, Daniel Dereck, Bernardo Blackaus, Alí Herrera,
Alfredo Francisco Brown, Próspero Bendles Marcelino, Ramón Allen Ferman, Roger Gómez Alfred and Carlos Castellón
Cárdenas); c) 15 divers or their families received no compensation (Flaviano Martínez López, Amistero Bans
Valeriano, Ralph Valderramos Álvarez, Ex Dereck Claro, Leonel Saty Méndez, Evecleto Londres Yumidal, Arpin Robles
Tayaton, Freddy Federico Salazar, Cooper Cresencio, Efraín Rosales Kirington, Willy Gómez Pastor, Licar Méndez,
Roberto Flores Esteban, Eran Herrera Palisto and Timoteo Salazar Zelaya); and, regarding nine of the divers or their
families there is no certainty as to whether or not they received compensation (Hildo Ambrosio Trino, Andrés Miranda
Clemente, Lorenzo Leman Bonaparte, Bernardo Julián Trino, José Trino Pérez Nacril, Rómulo Flores Henríquez and
Amilton Bonaparte Clemente (burned persons), David Esteban Bradley and Félix Osorio Presby.
35
14