Rescue Teams Establish Contact with 10-Year-Old Cuban Boy Trapped Under Rubble in Venezuela

Dayán Martínez, a 10-year-old boy from Melena del Sur in Mayabeque province, remains trapped under the debris of the collapsed Coral Beach building in Los Corales, La Guaira. However, on Wednesday, his family received a glimmer of hope after nearly a week of silence: rescue teams have successfully communicated with him, confirming that both he and his friend Samuel are alive.

The confirmation was relayed by Carleyns Kaina, a relative of the boy: "The accurate information is that they have found the children, meaning they have spoken to them and know it's Dayán and Samuel. Thank God, they discovered another path to reach them."

These two children have been trapped in the building's basement for six days since the two earthquakes on June 24—measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitudes and occurring just 39 seconds apart—devastated dozens of structures in La Guaira.

Arrival of Mexican Rescuers Boosts Efforts

On Tuesday, the so-called "Mexican moles," urban rescue experts, arrived at the site to bolster the rescue operations. In a video shared on social media, a voice can be heard saying, "The Mexican moles have arrived, and that person over there is the lead mole, here to rescue the children."

Rescue teams have also identified a new access route to the basement, which had not been explored before, providing a tangible opportunity to reach the trapped boys.

Challenges Hindering the Rescue

The path to rescuing the children has been fraught with challenges from the start. A French rescue team with tracking dogs retreated from 17 meters deep due to the overwhelming odor of decomposing bodies, unable to proceed to where the children are located.

A 4.6 magnitude aftershock on Monday forced a halt in operations for at least three hours, as protocols prevent entry during seismic activity.

At various points, the family expressed frustration over the lack of active rescue efforts at the building. Dayán's father publicly stated, "There's no one there."

The boy's uncle's wife recounted that American rescuers detected signs of life, but the children were "asking for oxygen because they were a bit weak, understandably, since Wednesday until today."

The Martínez Family's Heartbreak

Dayán's situation is part of a broader family tragedy. On June 27, it was confirmed that his sister Vanessa Martínez and cousin Ivana, who also became trapped in the same building, had died. Their father, a Cuban doctor who undertook an official mission in Venezuela, chose to remain in the country, while their mother resides in Cuba.

From the island, grandmother Isolina Dávila has made desperate public pleas: "They say they are alive, they are alive. How can we keep delaying? Those children have been there for almost five days, please, what more are they waiting for, they're all I have left."

In another heartbreaking message, the grandmother cried out, "We've already lost two granddaughters. Dayán is the only grandchild we have left."

Dozens of Cubans Missing in Venezuela

Unofficial reports indicate that at least 21 Cubans are missing following the earthquakes, particularly in Caraballeda, Catia La Mar, and Los Corales. At least eight Cubans are believed to have perished, though the regime has only officially confirmed the deaths of three citizens. On June 29, six members of a Cuban family were found dead in the Oasis Beach and Resjurel buildings in Playa Grande.

As of June 30, the overall death toll from the earthquake had risen to 1,943, with over 10,571 injured, while the UN estimated up to 50,000 people missing across the country.

As the family anxiously waits for rescue teams to break through to the basement of Coral Beach, the uncle's wife emphasized, "There is life in there. Because they screamed. I have videos of when they screamed, and a woman heard them alive."