The Cuban Elián López Cabrera was intercepted this Wednesday by the US Coast Guard just 15 miles from Islamorada, Florida, riding a windsurf board.
“Urgent. Islamorada Station rescued a man on a windsurf Wednesday approximately 15 miles south of Islamorada. He was transferred to Emergency Medical Services in a high level of care condition. He was wearing a life jacket, had a GPS and phones cell phones,” the Coast Guard reported on their Twitter account.
López was trying to reach the United States in hopes of receiving medical treatment, according to his relatives. The Cuban was operated on for colon cancer, they revealed to the Univisión channel.
López was a diving instructor in Varadero for more than 27 years, according to a professional profile on networks.
Alaydin Cabrera, the migrant’s cousin, has posted on networks an image of her family member accompanied by a message in which she asks for help after stating that she arrived dehydrated after the journey.
“His current condition is quite complex because he is the only diver in Cuba with a colostomy for life and he has no resources to survive in Cuba, where his life is becoming more and more difficult. He decided to go out to sea to seek help. If he deported are throwing a sick young man into the hardships of a system that cannot cover his current state,” the text indicates.
Cabrera has also published a photograph of López’s departure from Cuba.
________________________
Collaborate with our work:
The team of 14ymedio is committed to doing serious journalism that reflects the reality of deep Cuba. Thank you for joining us on this long road. We invite you to continue supporting us, but this time becoming a member of our journal. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.
