Cuban man found on raft near Key Biscayne is rescued

A Cuban man was found alone on a small raft about 16 miles east of Key Biscayne, Florida. The discovery occurred Monday, October 12, according to an excerpt from a statement by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations.

The CBP AMO statement on X described the craft as a small raft and said, “One Cuban is lucky to be alive.” A boater in the area reported the sighting on VHF radio channel 16, according to the account cited by the source.

Marine units from Miami and Fort Lauderdale, along with the Coast Guard, responded and provided assistance. Emergency medical services evaluated the man, and after Miami-Dade Fire Rescue declared him medically fit, he was transferred to the Coast Guard cutter Melvin Bell for further processing.

Authorities had not released the man’s identity in the report. The text also does not say where he departed from, how long he had been at sea or what means of survival he had. CBP AMO warned of the dangers of attempting maritime travel in unsafe vessels. Although social media users offered accounts about his identity and journey, the cited official report did not specify them.