Relatives of eight Cuban rafters reported the disappearance of the group after they left from Pinar del Río heading to Mexico, according to reported journalist Mario J. Pentón after speaking with relatives of the migrants.
According to that testimony, the travelers left on the 18th (of February) and since then there has been “absolutely no” information regarding their whereabouts.
Preliminary information indicates that the missing persons are four men and four women.
The report released by Pentón indicates that the alert was raised by family members, who stated that since the departure of the vessel, they have not heard from the group again.
"Just a few minutes ago, I spoke with relatives of a group of eight rafters, I repeat, eight rafters, who left from Pinar del Río to Mexico. They departed on the 18th, these relatives told me, and have been missing since then," Pentón said in the transcribed material.
The journalist added that his team was working on gathering more information about the case.
"At Martí Noticias, we will have all the details. We are just working on talking to the family," he stated, while also mentioning that he would release images of some of the missing individuals.
So far, the identity of the eight rafters, the type of vessel they were traveling in, the exact departure point in Pinar del Río, and the circumstances under which contact with them was lost have not been specified.
On February 22, 2026, the disappearance of another group of Cuban rafters in the Caribbean was reported as they attempted to reach Mexico in a rustic vessel.
The alert triggered a search operation by the Secretary of the Navy of Mexico in the area of Banco Chinchorro, in Quintana Roo, where naval units and specialized personnel conducted maritime patrols in an attempt to locate the vessel or its occupants.
According to the reports that circulated at that time, the migrants would have departed from Cuba days earlier, but contact with the vessel was lost amid , marked by the arrival of a cold front that caused strong winds and high waves in the region.
Mexican authorities have urged fishermen and boaters to report any sightings that could assist in the rescue efforts. So far, it is unknown whether this involves the same group of rafters.
The case is part of other recent incidents related to the dangerous maritime route used by many Cuban migrants trying to reach Mexico or the United States, journeys often made in precarious vessels that frequently end in shipwrecks, rescues, or disappearances at sea.
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