Cuba Archive - Case 1532

Case ID: 1532

Title: N/A

First name: Marcel

Last name: Valese

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: N/A

Age: N/A

Gender: N/A

Date of Birth: N/A

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:4 / Month:3 / Year:1960

Citizenship: France

Last known address: N/A

Last known city: Le Havre

Last known province-TOD: N/A

Last known province current: N/A

Last known country: France

Location death-address: Havana harbor

Location of death - city: Havana

Location of death province - at TOD: La Habana

Location of death province - current: Ciudad de La Habana

Location of death - country: Cuba

Trial held?: No

Docket Number: N/A

Sentence details: N/A

Arrest or detention at time of death: No

Date of arrest: N/A

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: N/A

How long imprisoned/detained: N/A

Death attributed to: N/A or Undetermined

Death attribution detail: N/A

Associated Event: 1960 La Coubre explosion

Case description:

Crew member killed in the explosion of the French freighter La Coubre as a 75-ton shipment was unloaded of arms, ammunition, and explosives purchased from Belgium by the revolutionary government of Cuba. The ship, owned by the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (CGT), or “French Line,” had loaded the armament at the port of Ambers, Belgium, sailed to Cuba, and arrived Havana hours before the explosion, docking at the Pan American Docks. One large blast was followed by another explosion around a half hour later that caused many victims including those who had rushed to assist after the first blast. Reportedly, around 101 persons were killed (including 34 disappeared) and around 200 were injured (reports by Cuban official and state media sources conflict, some cite 400 injured).  Some of the victims were French members of the crew, the rest were Cuban port workers, medical personnel, civilian bystanders and members of the police and Armed Forces who had rushed to the scene. The Cuban government immediately accused the CIA and the U.S. government of an act of sabotage, a charge the U.S. government declared an "unfounded and irresponsible accusation.” To date, the cause of the blast remains uncertain. 
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Tripulante que murió  en la explosión del carguero francés La Coubre cuando se descargaban 75 toneladas de armas, municiones y explosivos comprados a Bélgica por el gobierno revolucionario de Cuba. El barco, propiedad de la Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (CGT), o “French Line”, había cargado el armamento en el puerto de Ambers, Bélgica, zarpó hacia Cuba y llegó a La Habana horas antes de la explosión, atracando en los Muelles Panamericanos. Una gran explosión fue seguida por otra alrededor de media hora más tarde que causó muchas víctimas, incluidas las que se apresuraron a ayudar después de la primera explosión. Según se informa, alrededor de 101 personas murieron (incluyendo 34 desaparecidas) y alrededor de 200 resultaron heridas (informes de fuentes oficiales cubanas y medios estatales citan una cifra de 400 heridos). Algunas de las víctimas eran tripulantes franceses, el resto trabajadores portuarios cubanos, personal médico, transeúntes civiles y miembros de la policía y las Fuerzas Armadas que habían  corrido al lugar para socorrer las víctimas. El gobierno cubano acusó de inmediato a la CIA y al gobierno de Estados Unidos de un acto de sabotaje, un cargo que el gobierno de Estados Unidos declaró como "acusación infundada e irresponsable". Hasta la fecha, la causa de la explosión sigue siendo incierta.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Violation Status: Reported: Highly likely / Highly reliable source(s)

Cause of Death: - Other: killed by mines or bomb explosion

Occupations: - Military Specific Occupations

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Armed Forces: of another country

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: N/A

Case Record - Marcel Valese