Abandoned vessel found in Moa, and the Cuban regime opens a deadline for claiming it

Cuban authorities reported this Tuesday the discovery of an abandoned two-seater kayak at the entrance of the Port of Moa, Holguín province, and opened a 30-day window for its owner to claim it.

The announcement from the Port Captaincy of Moa was published by the Border Guard Troops Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), nearly three months after the vessel was found on January 9, 2026.

According to the official note, the vessel is a two-person kayak, with a blue plastic hull, a length of 4.02 meters, a beam of one meter, and a depth of 0.30 meters. As an identifying detail, it carries the name "TRIBE" inscribed on the port side fin.

The authorities indicated that individuals or legal entities with rights to the discovered property, who are interested in exercising those rights, must go to the Port Captain's Office in Moa, located at the Port Road S/N, municipality of Moa, province of Holguín, within a period not exceeding 30 calendar days from the publication of this notice.

The deadline expires approximately on May 7, 2026, and those who wish to claim the vessel must present documentation that legally verifies ownership or possession of it.

The MININT clarified that if no one claims the vessel within the established timeframe, the Cuban State will proceed with its confiscation.

The discovery of abandoned vessels along the coasts and ports of Cuba is a recurring phenomenon that the Border Guard Troops regularly report.

These cases are commonly associated with attempts at irregular migration by sea, where migrants often abandon the vessels after transferring in open waters or upon reaching their destination.

The municipality of Moa has a history of similar discoveries. In January 2022, the same Port Authority of Moa secured another vessel found ten miles east of the port of Yagrumaje.

In December 2025, a speedboat with a 175-horsepower Yamaha engine was found in Cayo Cruz, Camagüey, and in April 2025, two abandoned vessels were discovered off the coast of Matanzas.

The kayak found in Moa, measuring just 4.02 meters in length, is not designed for open sea voyages, which reinforces the hypothesis that it was used in an attempt at irregular migration or abandoned after a transfer to another vessel.