# Cuban maritime migration tragedy to Mexico

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/cuban-maritime-migration-tragedy-to-mexico
> Updated: 2026-08-27T17:00:00.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 3.

A group of 16 Cuban migrants, including 12 adults and four minors, was rescued by the Mexican Navy near Progreso, Yucatán, after spending nine days adrift at sea. The vessel had departed from Pinar del Río on August 11 and experienced mechanical failures and fuel loss, forcing the passengers to use a blue tarp as an improvised sail.

While the group was initially reported to be alive, subsequent details confirmed the deaths of two-year-old twins, Leosdel and Leosniel Oviedo Garrobo. The children were traveling with their mother, 35-year-old Yusimy Garrobo Leiva, to reunite with their father, Leobel Ricardo Oviedo, in Cancún. While Mexican authorities have not officially confirmed the cause of death, the children’s father reported that the twins likely died from dehydration.

On August 20, rescuers from the Yucalpetén Naval Search and Rescue Station intercepted the raft. The 14 survivors were found suffering from extreme exhaustion and sun exposure; they were stabilized at the Ninth Naval Zone base before being transferred to the National Institute of Migration. The survivors and the mother have since been reunited with family members.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-27: Two Cuban toddlers die at sea during migration attempt to Mexico

Two-year-old Cuban twins died from dehydration after spending nine days adrift in the Gulf of Mexico while attempting to reach Mexico from Cuba.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/two-cuban-toddlers-die-at-sea-during-migration-attempt-to-mexico

### 2026-08-25: Two Cuban twins die during maritime migration to Mexico

Two-year-old Cuban twins died of suspected dehydration after drifting at sea for nine days while attempting to migrate from Cuba to the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/two-cuban-twins-die-during-maritime-migration-to-mexico

### 2026-08-22: Mexican Navy rescues Cuban migrants in Yucatán after nine days adrift

Mexican authorities rescued Cuban migrants in Yucatán after a nine-day journey at sea; however, reports confirm that two-year-old twins died during the perilous voyage.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mexican-navy-rescues-cuban-migrants-in-yucatn-after-nine-days-adrift

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Cite as: Cuban maritime migration tragedy to Mexico. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/cuban-maritime-migration-tragedy-to-mexico