Saw a report on a European internet news channel that said the ship cost €200,000. It suggested 500 passengers at €5,000 each. Assuming other costs of €500,000, that’s €1,800,000 profit for little work. I believe that Sierra Leone and Liberia are both ‘flags of convenience’ countries, so there are plenty of rust buckets registered there. In addition, with so many borders being closed to these countries because of ebola, many of these rust buckets are likely just sitting idly in port, so they will be even cheaper to buy.
Yes, that jibes with the figures in the story: $6,000 a person and $1 million gross per shipload. It didn’t say how much they had to pay for the boat.