Relatives of 19 Cubans who set out on a boat from Havana on Tuesday, August 11, have not received any sign of life from their loved ones for several days.
The case was shared by journalist Mario Vallejo on his social media, who claimed to have received a desperate message from the relatives of the migrants directly from Cuba.
“I have just received a desperate message from Cuba that I am sharing in its entirety, in the hope that someone may provide information about these individuals or know if they were assisted by any coast guard, commercial vessel, or fishermen,” Vallejo wrote.
A vessel with 12 adults and seven children
According to the message received by Vallejo, the vessel set sail around 2:00 PM on August 11 with 19 people on board: 12 adults and seven minors.
A video released by the communicator himself shows several people aboard the vessel, which at first glance appeared to be less unsafe than many others seen in recent years.
Relatives claim to have completely lost communication with those on board and do not know if they arrived safely. Comments on social media indicate that the intended destination was Mexico.
The journalist was explicit about the limits of the available information: "This data comes from the message sent by family members, and as of now, I do not have official confirmation regarding what happened with the vessel."
The two-year-old twins traveling with their mother
Among the missing persons causing the greatest distress are the twins Leosdel and Leosniel, only two years old, who were traveling with their mother, Yusimy Garrobo Leiva, 35 years old, a resident of the Vertientes municipality in the province of Camagüey.
The images shared by Vallejo show several of the sought individuals, including the two young children, dressed in Chicago Bulls attire and looking at the camera in what appears to be a photo taken before the journey.
"If anyone has verifiable information, has seen the vessel, or knows of any rescue related to this case, please contact me. Every piece of information can be important for these families," the journalist urged.
Vallejo concluded his publication with a plea that encapsulates the anguish of all the families involved: "God willing, may they all be found alive."
A sea that offers no respite
The case comes amidst a tragic streak of maritime incidents.
Just days earlier, two young rafters died in the waters of Pinar del Río when the boat they were traveling on from Sandino to Cancun capsized near Las Martinas: Leodannis Sánchez, 17, and his partner Osmaikel, 19, lost their lives.
On August 13, a vessel with nearly a dozen migrants arrived in Key West and all occupants were taken into custody by the Customs and Border Protection Office.
There is no information linking that landing to the group of 19 missing persons. Furthermore, the vessels are different.
An extremely serious migratory context
The route to Mexico is one of the busiest for irregular Cuban migration.
In August 2026, a federal court in Miami sentenced a member of the "Cuban Mafia of Quintana Roo" to 25 years in prison, a group linked to human trafficking with around 25 documented deaths. According to Infobae, more than 245,000 Cubans emigrated in 2025, and in 2024, at least 142 rafters died attempting to cross into the United States, according to the International Organization for Migration.
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