Cuba Archive - Case 1891

Case ID: 1891

Title: N/A

First name: Lisbethy

Last name: Alfonso Aborresco

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: N/A

Age: 28

Gender: N/A

Date of Birth: N/A

Civil Status: Married

Date of death/disappearance: Day:3 / Month:3 / Year:2021

Citizenship: Cuba

Last known address: N/A

Last known city: Caibarién

Last known province-TOD: Villa Clara

Last known province current: Villa Clara

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: At sea

Location of death - city: N/A

Location of death province - at TOD: N/A

Location of death province - current: N/A

Location of death - country: Bahamas

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: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: N/A

Associated Event: N/A

Case description:

Disappeared with her two small children (ages 4 and 6), and at least six other passengers after leaving Cuba from Caibairén in a sea vessel with around 20 to 25 passengers on May 2, 2021, seeking to reach the United States. The group had been left in the uninhabited Cay Sal, halfway between Cuba and the Florida Keys, and had been picked up by another vessel with a Florida license in what appeared to be a trafficking operation. That boat exploded and capsized, sending the passengers to the water, where survivors remained for 14 hours. 19 persons were rescued by the Bahamian Royal Navy together with the body of a woman who reportedly drowned, name unknown.  They were taken to the Bahamas and held in a Bahamian detention center; two were hospitalized with burns. She was attempting to join her current husband, Omar Figueroa, who lived in the U.S. Figueroa had traveled in the boat that picked up the passengers and died when it exploded and capsized.
The United States Coast Guard helped in the search for survivors and on May 6, 2021 deported to Cuba the boat pilot, identified as Kiko García, who the Cuban government reported would face criminal charges.

Sources:

Melissa Galbraith, Coast Guard rescued and transferred 12 Cuban rafters to the Bahamas, globelivemedia.com, March 28, 2021. Gobierno cubano revela detalles del trágico naufragio de balseros en Bahamas; bajo arresto presunto responsable, Ciber Cuba, Mar. 11, 2021. Cuba insta a prevenir trágicos incidentes como consecuencia de la migración irregular, Declaración del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Mar. 12, 2021.  Desesperado, el padre de dos niños balseros cubanos desaparecidos pide ayuda a los guardacostas de EEUU, Diario de Cuba, Miami, Mar. 10, 2021. Two Cuban children and their mother disappear on way to Florida, On Cuba News, Mar. 11, 2021. Alarma en Bahamas por la creciente aparición de balseros cubanos: autoridades buscan a cinco desaparecidos en un naufragio, Infobae, Mar. 10, 2021. Familia de niños cubanos desaparecidos en el mar junto a su madre dice que autoridades de Bahamas ocultan información, CiberCuba, Mar 3, 2021 (citing testimony of the victim's mother in Cuba). Familia desesperada busca información sobre los balseros desaparecidos en Bahamas, Mirada Cubana, Mar. 10, 2021 (incl. photo). Bahamas publica comunicado sobre balseros cubanos rescatados recientemente, Mar. 29, 2021, https://www.tophoy.com/bahamas-publica-comunicado-sobre-balseros-cubanos-rescatados-recientemente/. 
Melissa Galbraith, Coast Guard rescued and transferred 12 Cuban rafters to the Bahamas, globelivemedia.com, March 28, 2021.

Conflict of Evidence:

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

Cause of Death: - Exit attempt: dehydration/drowning/etc.

Occupations: - N/A

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: - Child in Case 4215: Luis Nestor Hernández Alfonso - Child in Case 3123: Kenna Mariana Rodríguez Alfonso - Spouse in Case 4137: Omar Figueroa

Victim Type: - Attempting exit

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: - Case 4215: Luis Nestor Hernández Alfonso - Case 3123: Kenna Mariana Rodríguez Alfonso - Case 4137: Omar Figueroa - Case 11371: Antonio Turiño Hernández - Case 11386: Yadiel Martínez Casamayor - Case 11371: Antonio Turiño Hernández

Case Record - Lisbethy Alfonso Aborresco