Irish missionary and eight rescued after weeks in captivity at Haiti orphanage

Irish Aid Worker and Fellow Captives Freed After Month-Long Kidnapping in Haiti

Gena Heraty, an aid worker operating an orphanage in the hills near Port-au-Prince, Haiti, along with seven Haitian colleagues and a young child, has been released nearly a month after their abduction on 3 August.

Her family expressed immense relief, stating, “We are overwhelmed with gratitude for all those, in Haiti and abroad, who worked tirelessly to ensure their safe return.”

Simon Harris, Ireland’s deputy prime minister, welcomed the news in a social media post, saying, “We are relieved that Gena and all those taken captive, including the child, have been freed and are reported to be safe.”

Harris praised Heraty’s family for their strength during the ordeal, describing her as “a dedicated humanitarian who has spent decades aiding Haiti’s most vulnerable.”

Heraty had lived in Haiti for 32 years and managed an orphanage in Kenscoff, caring for approximately 270 children.

Haiti has been gripped by escalating violence since last February, when armed groups with political ties launched a widespread challenge to state authority. Criminal organizations now dominate much of the capital, with local security forces struggling to contain the unrest.

Efforts to regain control have led authorities to deploy armed drones and foreign security personnel.

Ireland’s foreign ministry has issued warnings against travel to Haiti due to the “highly unstable” conditions, citing frequent violence between gangs and officials, as well as widespread kidnappings and robberies.

Reports indicate that Heraty’s group was taken after armed assailants raided their facility in the early hours of a Sunday morning.