A wooden artisanal boat with 17 Haitian citizens on board ran aground on the night of September 21st at Playa Siboney in the municipality of Santiago de Cuba.
The migrants had been adrift at sea for seven days. They had departed from Haiti heading towards the shores of the United States, but the weather conditions diverted their course towards the Cuban coast.
Aris Arias Batalla, provincial head of Operations and Relief of the Red Cross in Santiago de Cuba, reported on Facebook about the incident from the beach. He stated that the migrants arrived after 10:00 PM. The group consists of 14 men, one woman, one girl, and one boy, all apparently in good health.
Cuban authorities immediately deployed a plan to assist the newcomers. Hygiene and epidemiology personnel conducted health checks, while immigration and foreign specialists proceeded to identify each of the migrants. Doctors and paramedics examined them without detecting any symptoms that could jeopardize their health.
Officials from the Cuban Red Cross were also present as humanitarian observers, along with members of MININT for security and protection, and government representatives for logistical support.
The vessel, made of wood and with a handcrafted appearance, exhibited a precarious structure, with poles and planks held together by ropes and plastic materials used for reinforcement. Photos shared from the site reveal the conditions under which the group undertook the journey.
Some Haitian vessels attempting to reach Florida are left adrift or diverted due to weather conditions and often end up on Cuba's eastern coastline. Once in Cuba, the migrants receive assistance and are subsequently repatriated to Haiti, usually by air and in coordination with the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
In July 2025, six Haitian fishermen were rescued adrift off the southern coast of Guamá, also in the province of Santiago de Cuba.
In May 2022, Cuba welcomed and then repatriated over 800 Haitians. They were traveling on a vessel that was aimed at reaching U.S. territory, but the boat ended up on the shores of Caibarién, in the province of Villa Clara.
The Haitian migratory pressure in the Caribbean has remained high in recent years, driven by the security crisis in Haiti, where armed gangs control a large part of the territory.
As for the 17 Haitians who arrived in Siboney, the most likely fate awaiting them in Cuba is the same as that of previous groups: repatriation to their home country.
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