Migration: The rafter rescued in Yucatán is one of the six who left Pinar del Río

Mexico City/Personnel from the Yucalpetén Naval Search and Rescue Station confirmed to 14ymedio who rescued the Cuban Fermín Izquierdo last Tuesday. A source who requested anonymity says that the man “was seen by a container ship 190 nautical miles off the coast of Progreso, in Yucatán”, Mexico, and it requested support to get him to safety.

The Navy sent a speedboat to rescue the man, but notes, “they didn’t find any other people.” According to the report, the man was loaded onto the boat and “was disoriented,” in addition to “showing signs of dehydration and redness and inflammation of the skin due to prolonged exposure to the sun.”

Due to the injuries, “Izquierdo was transferred to the Yucalpetén Naval Hospital, where he remained under observation until he was stabilized” and was handed over to the National Migration Institute (INM), but did not offer further information.

The INM confirmed that the man “is not detained”, he is following “a migration process”, but did not provide data on the location of the rafter.

Fermín Izquierdo left the Island on October 12. According to the space on Facebook Child reporting a crimedid so in a “boat that was driven by a boatman” in which were also included: Ernesto Reyes Laza, Amadilario Frías Denis, Alejandro Abreu, Roilan Montano Camejo, Yulien Espinoza Valle and Iván Montano Gómez. All of them missing.

The same space reported that according to the testimony of Fermín Izquierdo, “on the third or fourth day, Ernesto Reyes Laza, one of the companions, began to show signs of disorientation as a result of the extreme conditions. He insisted that he wanted to get up to walk, believing he was on dry land. His companions managed to stop him several times, but he finally fell into the ocean and disappeared.” According to the story, “another occupant later disappeared.”

Izquierdo stated that “several ships had passed close to the castaways without helping them. Even a large merchant ship was, presumably, about to hit them.”

Until a boat stopped, Izquierdo and two other rafters tried to reach it by swimming, but only he managed to survive.

The Yucalpetén Naval Search and Rescue Station told this newspaper that there is no search operation for these people.