On February 25, the Cuban regime intercepted a speedboat registered in the state of Florida in Cayo Falcones, Corralillo municipality, Villa Clara province. As a result of the operation, Four of its crew members died and six others were injured.
A day after the incident, the U.S. government announced the opening of an investigation involving several federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the Coast Guard. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that his country would act “accordingly.”.
So far, the available information comes mainly from the Cuban regime and from testimonies offered by relatives of the survivors.
The vessel, identified by the registration number FL7726SH, was carrying ten civilians, according to information provided by the regime itself. The six injured—all Cuban citizens residing in the United States—remain in custody on the island. They have been identified as Amijail Sánchez González, Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, Conrado Galindo Sariol, José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló, Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara, and Roberto Álvarez Ávila.
Meanwhile, the deceased have been identified such as Pavel Alling Peña, Michel Ortega Casanova, Ledian Padrón Guevara and Héctor Duani Cruz Correa, who had resided in the United States for several years.
Survivors: enforced disappearance and the duty of the State
According to the latest updates, the six survivors are being held in pretrial detention on the island and accused for 'terrorism offenses'.
According to Cubalex, the case of the six survivors reported as “wounded/detained” presents elements consistent with enforced disappearance. Although the State itself publicly acknowledged that these individuals are in custody following the operation on Cayo Falcones, To date, there is no verifiable official information about his exact whereabouts, the responsible authority, or the conditions for communication with his family.
According to Article 2 of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, Enforced disappearance occurs when a deprivation of liberty attributable to state agents is followed by the concealment of the fate or whereabouts of the person, placing them outside the protection of the law.
In this case, the opacity following the official announcement—including the practical refusal or evasion by hospitals and authorities to confirm the location of the injured—prevents effective judicial control and keeps those affected in a situation of incommunicado.
It is important to note that Cuban law expressly prohibits enforced disappearance and recognizes the right to habeas corpus as a mechanism for immediate protection against illegal detentions. From this perspective, the lack of formal notification to families, the absence of an accessible record of the place of detention, and the impossibility of contact with a lawyer or relatives violate both the Constitution and the Law of Criminal Procedure, as well as the international standards adopted by the Cuban State.
Furthermore, the State's duty is not limited to generically acknowledging that individuals are "in custody," but rather entails specific obligations: identifying the health center or detention facility where they are located, specifying the responsible authority, guaranteeing immediate access to legal counsel and family communication, and ensuring adequate and independent medical care. These guarantees are essential to prevent torture, ill-treatment, or irreparable harm to the physical and psychological integrity of those affected.
Finally, Cubalex maintains that the territorial uncertainty surrounding the detention location—with reports pointing to Villa Clara or possible transfers to Matanzas—reinforces the inherent risk of enforced disappearances. Therefore, it requests urgent measures at both the national and international levels to restore judicial oversight of the deprivation of liberty, locate the survivors, and guarantee their full protection under the law.