Related videos:
Six Cuban migrants were repatriated to the island from the Cayman Islands on March 6, an operation that raises the total number of Cubans returned to Cuba from that territory to 20 so far in 2026, according to the local outlet Cayman Compass.
According to that report, the six men were escorted by agents of the Cayman Islands Customs and Border Control Service and prison system officials to a regular, non-charter flight from Cayman Airways that departed from Grand Cayman around 12:55 p.m.
In a statement released on March 13, the director of the agency, Bruce D. Smith, expressed gratitude for the collaboration of the agencies involved in what he described as another "successful" repatriation operation.
The authorities also indicated that there are currently 24 Cuban migrants in irregular status under custody in the Cayman Islands, while their cases are still being processed. According to the same report, new deportation flights will be organized in the coming weeks as the immigration procedures progress.
Everything indicates that the six Cubans who were returned are part of the group that was rescued at sea in mid-February by a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. The vessel Radiance of the Seas stopped its course on February 15th off the coast of Cuba after detecting a small boat in distress with six people onboard.
Cruise passengers reported on social media that the ship was docked for nearly an hour while the operation was coordinated. Ultimately, due to the Coast Guard's inability to respond, the crew conducted the rescue themselves and brought the raft occupants aboard the ship.
Subsequently, the men were disembarked in Grand Cayman and were placed under the custody of the territory's immigration authorities, who initiated proceedings in accordance with local legislation and international obligations.
The most recent repatriation occurs a few weeks after nine Cubans were sent back to Havana on February 13.
Authorities in the Cayman Islands have warned in recent months about the possibility of an increase in irregular migration from Cuba, amid the ongoing economic and social crisis that is driving many citizens from the island to attempt increasingly dangerous maritime routes in search of reaching other Caribbean destinations or the United States.
Filed under: