The Cuban who survived several days adrift on a fragile foam raft and was rescued about 16 miles from Key Biscayne, Florida, has been identified by his family as Enrique René Reyes, a 38-year-old native of Santiago de Cuba.
The identity was initially revealed by journalist Javier Díaz from N+ Univision 23, who was able to reach the rescued individual's family thanks to the collaboration of people who responded to his social media posts.
According to the information received by Díaz, the man had left on Thursday morning from the Cojímar area in Havana, supposedly to go fishing, but a storm and strong currents may have carried him away from the Cuban coast.
"Supposedly, his family tells me that he had no intentions of leaving in this makeshift boat to cross the Florida Strait," the communicator explained.
However, the journalist revealed that Reyes had previously expressed a desire to leave Cuba and was facing issues with the authorities.
According to the family testimonies collected by Díaz, the Cuban had been arrested weeks before the incident, although the circumstances of that arrest were not specified.
"It seems that it was not an intentional departure from the country, but rather that the storms in recent days […] swept this fisherman away," he noted.
For his part, independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada later confirmed the identity of the rescued individual through contacts with their family.
Reyes is originally from the Los Cangrejitos neighborhood in Santiago de Cuba, although he had been living in Havana for several years. He has a young daughter.
The rescue took place on Monday, October 12, when a boater found the man on an improvised structure made of foam blocks, wood, and ropes, about 26 kilometers off the southern coast of Florida.
The witness alerted the authorities using the maritime emergency channel VHF 16, which allowed for the intervention of units from the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Cuban was assessed by Miami-Dade emergency personnel and transferred to the USCGC Melvin Bell for the appropriate procedures.
Javier Díaz later reported, citing his family sources, that Reyes was recovering after being found in a delicate state of health.
"It's a miracle that this man is still alive," the journalist said, referring to the fragility of the vessel in which he was found.
The migrant situation of the Cuban also generates uncertainty. Having been rescued at sea, he could face a repatriation process, although any decision will depend on U.S. authorities and the specific circumstances of his case.
A woman who identified herself as the rescued person's cousin later stated on social media that he was with her in West Palm Beach, a claim that has not been officially confirmed.
Since the repeal of the "wet foot, dry foot" policy in January 2017, arriving on U.S. shores does not guarantee Cubans the right to legally stay in the country. Those intercepted at sea may face repatriation proceedings, although there are protection procedures for individuals who express a fear of persecution or torture.
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