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A dramatic accident at the Miami River Point marina nearly ended in tragedy when an official truck from the city’s Department of Sanitation fell into the water with two women trapped inside.
The incident, captured by security cameras and viralized on social media, shocked the residents of the area. But what could have been a catastrophe took a different turn thanks to the swift intervention of a Cuban: Rafael Valdez, who without thinking twice jumped into the canal to save them.
A split-second accident… and an even faster response
It was around 18th Street and 24th Avenue Northwest when the official vehicle lost control for reasons that are still unclear.
According to local press reports, the truck went through a fence and struck a boat parked at a dock before plunging into the water.
The surveillance footage shows how the truck first crashes into a tree, then strikes a docked boat, and finally sinks in the canal.
Witnesses hurried to the scene in response to the roar, but among the onlookers, only one reacted immediately.
“I fell over the fence and, like everyone else, went to take a look, but I saw that no one (...) And I heard the lady calling for help, that’s when I went down,” said Rafael Valdez, interviewed by Telemundo 51.
The leap into the water and a rescue under pressure
Valdez knew that the risk was real, that this was not just any scene. In the water were remnants of a damaged ship, and time was running out.
“I knew something could happen to me because there was a wrecked boat (…) I entered carefully so I wouldn’t fall in recklessly,” he explained.
Inside the truck were two employees from the Solid Waste Department. The interior was covered by the airbags that had deployed after the impact, preventing the occupants from escaping on their own.
"The glass was already broken, but the airbags were covering the window and they couldn't get out," he detailed.
It was then that Rafael asked for a knife. He cut the bags and created enough space to take them out one by one.
"I asked for a knife, punctured the air bags, and pulled them out that way (...) I was tying them up when a neighbor from the marina also came down and took that one with the rope," he added.
Minutes later, the rescue teams and divers arrived as witnesses recorded how the truck was pulled from the water.
The marks of heroism
Rafael's gesture did not go unscathed. In the midst of the rescue, he suffered a deep wound in his leg, caused by a railing pipe that resulted in an injury requiring 18 stitches.
"The wound is the tube of the railing that goes into me (...) the bad part is the infection," he explained. He assures that the scar is a reminder of an action he does not regret.
Regarding the rescued women, Valdez stated that they were in a state of shock.
"Very scared (...) that woman had no expression," she recalled in reference to one of them.
Fortunately, both came out physically unharmed, although visibly traumatized by the impact.
The wave of reactions on social media and one name: Rafael
The heroic intervention did not go unnoticed.
The Instagram account Only in Dade shared a video of the accident and described the moment as a “terrifying marine accident captured on camera: a truck crashes over a fence, a tree, and a parked boat before plunging into the canal, with a driver and a passenger trapped and rescued by a heroic good Samaritan.”
The name Rafael started to circulate in comments describing him as "the best Captain of Miami", with multiple users expressing admiration and gratitude.
Some link it to a local boat rental company (@ashaba.rentboat), although this relationship has not been confirmed by the authorities.
"The best, my uncle!!" wrote an internet user. Another simply applauded: "Long live Rafael, the best Captain of Miami."
Unanswered questions
Despite the widespread coverage of the event and the successful rescue, many questions remain unanswered. Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the accident: was it a mechanical failure? Human error? Negligence regarding safety measures?
It has not been clarified whether the marina had adequate barriers to prevent a vehicle from crossing its perimeter and ending up in the water so easily.
The only certainty for now is that had it not been for Rafael Valdez's reaction, the consequences could have been fatal.
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