Efforts to win the return of 17 members of a U.S.-based missionary group and a local driver stretched into a fourth day Wednesday, with a violent gang demanding $1 million ransom per person.
The group seized includes five children aged from 8 months to 15 years, although authorities were not clear whether the ransom demand included them. Sixteen of the abductees are Americans and one Canadian.
Among those kidnapped and held hostage are a missionary and four children from West Michigan. All five belonged to Hart Dunkard Brethren Church, their pastor, Ron Marks confirmed.
A watchdog group says at least 119 kidnappings were recorded in Haiti for the first half of October.
It says a Haitian driver was abducted along with the missionaries.
RELATED VIDEO: Locals, expert react to Hart missionaries taken hostage in Haiti
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