A rescue and salvage team from the Cuban Border Guard Troops found on Tuesday morning the lifeless body of university student Gabriel Calante Álvarez, who was missing in Santiago de Cuba since the weekend.
The 21-year-old was a second-year student of the Bachelor’s degree in Biology at the Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences of the Universidad de Oriente (UO), whose Directorate of Institutional Communication confirmed the unfortunate outcome.
Calante Álvarez had been reported missing since last Saturday and since then he has been sought by specialized forces, fellow students, professors and university and local authorities.
In accordance with a note from the high house of studies in Santiago published on Sundaythe young man, together with a professor and two other students from the Department of Biology-Geography of the Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences, “by personal decision and without constituting an academic activity”, made a visit to “El Sardinero” beach, located in the vicinity of the “Abel Santamaría” neighborhood in Santiago de Cuba.
The statement indicated that, since Saturday afternoon, the rest of the participants in this excursion reported to the Ministry of the Interior (Minint) the disappearance of Calante Álvarez, who had been seen for the last time by his companions in the sea. A day later, the Head of the Department of Biology-Geography reported the disappearance to the UO authorities, who kept reporting on the search until its completion on Tuesday.
According to the most recent publication on the case of the university institution, the discovery of the student’s lifeless body was the result of a joint operation between various political, military, academic, governmental and social institutions of the province, and the rescue and rescue extended for 66 hours.
“In accordance with the protocols established for this type of event, at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, the body was removed from the place where it was found, and its identification and subsequent delivery to the relatives were carried out,” notified the UO, which He adds that the young man’s funeral “will be held according to the will of the family, which we will continue to accompany at this difficult time.”
In the statement, the Universidad de Oriente recognizes the determining role played by entities and people who collaborated in the operation, and appreciates “the signs of solidarity, sensitivity and concern of citizens and institutions in the face of this unfortunate event.”
Since his disappearance was reported, many people followed the case and sent messages of support to Calante Álvarez’s family and colleagues through social networks. Upon learning of the confirmation of his death, the expressions of consternation and condolences to the family and relatives of the deceased young man have multiplied.
This unfortunate thing happens in the same place where on April 18 this year Two Santiago teenagers, 15 and 17 years old, both residents of the main city, were dragged along with several relatives by a sea current and drowned.
Since these tragic events, authorities and specialists have warned the population about the risks of bathing in the “El Sardinero” area.
