Fishing skiffs and private jets: how Nobel laureate María Corina Machado fled Venezuela for Oslo

Peace prize winner says escape voyage, in which she feared US forces could strike vessel she was on, was very spiritual'

The most dangerous moments came when salvation seemed finally assured.

Many miles from land, the small fishing skiff carrying the Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel prize laureate Maria Corina Machado had been lost at sea for hours, tossed by strong winds and 10ft waves. A further hazard was the ever present risk of an inadvertent airstrike by US warplanes hunting alleged cocaine smugglers.