Cuban fisherman Enrique René Reyes Martínez, aged 38, shared his harrowing tale of survival after spending five days adrift in the Florida Strait. Clinging to a makeshift raft without food or water, surrounded by sharks, and battling three-meter-high waves, his unyielding hope of reuniting with his daughter kept him alive.
Speaking from Havana in a phone interview with journalist Javier Díaz of Univision 23, following his rescue near Key Biscayne and subsequent repatriation to Cuba, Reyes Martínez recounted the extreme conditions he faced and the moments he feared for his life.
"I survived because I wanted to see my family, my daughter again. It was what kept me alive, and I always told myself I wouldn't die at sea," he confessed.
Survival Against All Odds
Reyes Martínez emphasized that he had no intention of leaving Cuba. His ordeal began when he set out to fish from Cojímar, Havana, on Thursday, October 8.
"I never meant to leave the country. This was something that just happened. It was difficult and complicated. I'm alive thanks to God because who survives on a piece of cork like that?" he expressed.
Enduring Nature’s Fury
He described grappling with the elements day and night, as his makeshift vessel capsized numerous times amid three-meter waves.
"I battled day and night with those waves. The little raft flipped over several times. I endured three days of intense rain and never gave up," he narrated.
Without potable water or food, he fought through physical exhaustion, sunburns, and the constant threat of falling into the sea.
Nighttime Terrors and Unwavering Hope
The nights were particularly terrifying. Shrouded in darkness, he couldn't see his surroundings, and loneliness amplified his fear.
"It was horrifying when night fell; it felt like a wolf's mouth. You couldn't see anything, just hearing voices as if you were losing your mind," he recalled.
Despite the dire circumstances, he never lost hope.
The Unseen Danger Below
One of the most perilous moments was when he spotted sharks swimming beneath his flimsy raft.
"I had two-meter and three-meter sharks right under me," he recounted, describing the size of the creatures he encountered.
Yet, he never let despair take over, despite hunger, thirst, and the presence of sharks.
"I never panicked. I never lost confidence in myself. I didn't jump into the sea...neither for thirst nor hunger nor anything. I never thought of that," he asserted.
His sole focus was to remain on the small platform that kept him afloat, even as waves threatened to topple him into the ocean.
Driven by the Love of Family
When asked by Javier Díaz what he thought about during those perilous moments, Reyes Martínez explained that the hope of seeing his daughter again was his driving force.
"I thought about living. I always thought I wouldn't be left there, that I wouldn't die there. I thought about seeing my family, my daughter, and I fought for that," he declared.
He also credited his survival to faith and the prayers he offered during his time at sea.
"La Caridad del Cobre was with me, because I prayed a lot to her. I also asked God to be with me, not to leave me alone," he expressed, referring to the Virgin of Charity of Cobre, Cuba's patron saint.
Exhausted but Alive
On Monday, October 12, a couple returning from the Bahamas to Miami spotted the fisherman and alerted authorities via the VHF 16 emergency maritime channel.
Units from CBP Air and Marine Operations and the U.S. Coast Guard participated in the rescue near Key Biscayne, about 16 nautical miles east of the coast.
By then, Reyes Martínez was utterly exhausted, dehydrated, and sunburned.
"Dehydrated, sunburned, and without strength because when they pulled me out of that piece of cork, I couldn't walk," he explained.
He was transferred to the USCGC Melvin Bell, without setting foot on U.S. soil.
In his conversation with Javier Díaz, he expressed gratitude for the attention he received from U.S. authorities after the rescue.
Two days later, on Wednesday, October 14, he was repatriated to Cuba, where his grandmother and aunt awaited him.
Photographs released after his return to Havana show him visibly thinner and sunburned.
A Vow to Stay on Land
After surviving the ordeal, Reyes Martínez vowed never to go fishing again.
"No, I'm not going fishing anymore after this. It was a terrible experience, and my daughter almost lost her father," he confessed.
Although he maintained that his departure was not an attempt to emigrate, he also commented on the dangers of leaving Cuba in makeshift boats.
"I don't advise anyone to do that madness. It's a very difficult, very complicated journey where you're putting your life at risk," he warned.
Family Perspectives on His Departure
Reyes Martínez lives in Havana, although he hails from the Los Cangrejitos neighborhood in Santiago de Cuba. According to initial information from his family, he had set out to fish from Cojímar to provide food for his young daughter.
In the days following his disappearance, various accounts emerged about the circumstances of his departure.
His aunt, Yelsa Reyes Fabelo, stated that "he was eager to leave Cuba, but it wasn't intentional." A cousin, however, claimed that the journey was deliberate and that Enrique had concealed his plans from the family.
The fisherman himself refuted that interpretation in his interview with Univision 23, insisting he never intended to leave the country.
The same week of his rescue, the U.S. Coast Guard repatriated six other Cubans after two separate operations in the Florida Strait.
Understanding the Perils of Sea Journeys from Cuba
What motivated Enrique René Reyes Martínez to survive at sea?
His primary motivation was the hope of reuniting with his family, especially his daughter. This hope kept him alive during the challenging ordeal.
How did Reyes Martínez manage without food and water?
Reyes Martínez endured physical exhaustion, sunburns, and the absence of potable water and food by maintaining hope and relying on his faith.
What was Reyes Martínez's experience with sharks?
He observed sharks swimming beneath his makeshift raft, yet he remained calm and focused on staying afloat.