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Eight Cuban rafters, four men and four women, remain missing after losing contact with the rustic vessel they reportedly left the island on about five days ago, heading to Mexico.
The Secretary of the Navy (Semar) launched a search and rescue operation after receiving a report of an unnamed and unregistered vessel, reportedly of Cuban origin, that had disappeared in waters near Quintana Roo.
According to NotiCaribe, the alert was issued through the official statement CPIM 028-2026 dated February 20, and the efforts are concentrated in the area of Banco Chinchorro, where surface units and specialized personnel are conducting maritime patrols.
The Captaincy of the Port of Isla Mujeres confirmed that the vessel has been officially declared as missing. According to reports from Voz de Mujer Peninsular and El Despertador de Quintana Roo, the head of that department, María Dolores Cobela Vargas, made an urgent appeal to the maritime community to take extra precautions and report any sightings.
Any sailor or fisherman should stay alert and communicate any information to the Fifth Naval Region or the Port Captaincy via VHF radio channel 16.
The alert comes at a particularly delicate moment in meteorological terms. Cold front number 37 is approaching the Yucatán Peninsula, and according to local reports on weather conditions, a “Norte” event is expected, bringing wind gusts between 60 and 80 kilometers per hour and waves of up to four meters in coastal areas of Quintana Roo.
Maritime authorities have warned of heavy rains, increased wave activity, and adverse conditions for navigation, factors that heighten the risk for small and improvised vessels.
So far, no details have been provided regarding the identity of the missing individuals. The Navy has stated that it will continue maritime and aerial patrols in coordination with local and federal agencies to expand the search radius and safeguard human life at sea.
The alert revives the recent drama that occurred in the same area. Just on February 16th, seven Cuban rafters were rescued off Banco Chinchorro after their vessel sank in Caribbean waters, in an operation coordinated by the Mexican Navy, the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas, and the National Migration Institute.
As the hours pass and the cold front approaches, the hope of finding the eight missing persons alive now relies on the speed of the operation and the solidarity of those who navigate those waters. On the horizon, more than a lost vessel, there are eight stories marked by desperation and the ongoing risk that continues to drive Cubans to take to the sea in search of an uncertain future.
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