Six adult Cuban males arrived in Grand Cayman Monday 16 Feb. after they were rescued at sea by a passing vessel, the Cayman Islands Custom and Border Control Service said in a press release.
“They were transferred into the custody of CBC Officers upon arrival and are currently being processed in accordance with Cayman Islands law and the country’s international obligations,” the press release said.
The arrival of these six Cubans comes shortly after 10 adult males arrived in Little Cayman on 31 Jan.
Because of the deteriorating situation in Cuba, the Cayman Islands Government has set up a Mass Migration Committee to coordinate its response actions in anticipation of a significant influx of migrants from the island, Cayman’s closest neighbour. The government has also sought volunteers who speak Spanish to provide translator services should the number of migrants increase significantly.
Nine repatriated
The Customs and Border Control press release also stated that nine migrants had been repatriated to Cuba on a non-chartered Cayman Airways flight on Friday 13 Feb., bringing the total of repatriated Cuban migrants to 13 since the beginning of 2026.
“The Government’s approach to irregular migration continues to be grounded in three core principles: lawful border control, a humanitarian duty of care, and the safeguarding of national security,” the press release stated.
It is not clear if the nine Cubans repatriated on 13 Feb. were among the 10 that arrived on 31 Jan. Two Cubans subsequently escaped from the immigration detention centre off Fairbanks Road and although one of the escapees returned to the centre, the other remained at large as of 9 Feb.
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