A 38-year-old Cuban man rescued from a makeshift foam raft about 16 miles east of Key Biscayne on Monday, Oct. 12, has been returned to Cuba after surviving approximately five days at sea.

Enrique René Reyes Martínez told Univision on Thursday, Oct. 15, that he had gone fishing off Cuba's coast when rough weather carried him into the Florida Straits. He denied that he had intended to migrate to the United States.

The man was spotted alone on a raft roughly the size of a small mattress. A photograph released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection showed what appeared to be Styrofoam held together with wooden planks and rope, NBC Miami reported.

A passing boater alerted authorities using VHF Channel 16, the international maritime distress and calling frequency.

Marine units from CBP's Miami and Fort Lauderdale offices and the U.S. Coast Guard responded and located Reyes Martínez, according to a CBP Air and Marine Operations statement on X.

Rescue crews find man alive on tiny raft

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue paramedics evaluated Reyes Martínez and medically cleared him. He was then transferred to the Coast Guard Cutter Melvin Bell for processing.

CBP said the man was fortunate to be alive and warned about the dangers of attempting maritime migration aboard makeshift vessels.

"The open water is unforgiving, and these journeys can quickly become fatal," the agency said.

Reyes Martínez, originally from Santiago de Cuba and living in Havana, had departed from Cojímar Beach on Thursday, Oct. 8, according to relatives interviewed by Cuban journalists.

Family members initially provided conflicting accounts of his intentions. Some said he had gone fishing and was swept away by bad weather, while others believed he had planned to leave Cuba.

In an interview with Univision after his return, Reyes Martínez maintained that he never intended to leave the country.

He said he survived without food or drinking water, endured rough seas and repeatedly feared for his life. Thoughts of seeing his young daughter and family again helped him persevere.

Man returned to Cuba after rescue

Reyes Martínez was repatriated to Cuba on Wednesday, Oct. 14, according to Univision and Telemundo 51.

A family member told Telemundo that Reyes Martínez remained aboard a Coast Guard vessel after his rescue and was never brought ashore in the United States.

The family member said U.S. authorities notified the Cuban government, which subsequently contacted his relatives.

After returning to Havana, Reyes Martínez spoke publicly about the ordeal and thanked the boaters who spotted him and the Coast Guard personnel who assisted him.

The Miami Herald initially reported that federal authorities had not disclosed his identity or how long he had been at sea. Those details emerged through subsequent interviews with his family and Reyes Martínez himself.

Rescue underscores dangers of Florida Straits

The rescue occurred in the Atlantic Ocean, beyond the shallow waters of Biscayne Bay.

Maritime crossings between Cuba and South Florida have long posed serious risks, particularly for people traveling aboard improvised vessels without adequate navigation, propulsion or emergency equipment.

In January 2023, hundreds of Cuban migrants arrived at Dry Tortugas National Park west of Key West, prompting a temporary closure while federal authorities responded.

Federal agencies continue to patrol the Florida Straits and intercept vessels attempting to reach the United States.

Reyes Martínez's account, however, differs from CBP's initial characterization of his rescue as an attempted illegal maritime migration. He has maintained that he was fishing when weather conditions carried him away from Cuba.

Boaters who encounter someone in distress at sea can contact the Coast Guard using VHF Channel 16.