Special missing person's search team locates Cuban family that disappeared after arriving at Mexican airport

A Cuban family of eight who were previously reported missing after arriving at an international airport in Monterrey, Mexico, were located according to local media reports in the Aztec country.

Through an information sheet, the Attorney General's Office of Nuevo León (FGJNL) reported that the Special Prosecutor's Office for Missing Persons managed to locate the Cuban citizens, including missing children, without giving exact details of the location.

According to a report from the Telediario Monterrey channel, although nothing had been heard from the Cuban family since midweek, the Mexican law enforcement agency did not issue a search bulletin for the eight people until Saturday.

“On September 22, 2024, the location of eight individuals of Cuban nationality was made known,” the Mexican AG reported in a brief statement that was published by the EFE Spanish language news agency.

The press release added that “the individuals had been reported missing after their arrival at the Mariano Escobedo International Airport in Apodaca, Nuevo León, on September 19, 2024.”

An additional report from the El Horizonte newspaper in Mexico indicated the missing Cubans were safe and in good health.

“Preliminary, the people are in good health, pending confirmation through a medical examination. They are currently in the process of deactivating search reports protocol,” the report said.

The family of Cuban origin was wanted in Nuevo León, northern Mexico, after being reported missing since last Sept. 18, when their last whereabouts were known at the Monterrey International Airport.

The Specialized Immediate Search Group (GEBI), of the Attorney General's Office of the state of Nuevo Léon, had issued search reports to find the whereabouts of the eight Cubans, including two young children.

According to the disappearance files issued, the minors included a 4-year old girl named Kimberlin Ylieg Samon Jiménez, and her 6-year old brother Michel Onel.

The adults were identified as the following: Heily Jiménez Pompova, 25, Onel Juan Samon Reyes, 34, Dairon Micher Jiménez Pompova, 18, Micher Jiménez Echemendia, 76, Jereny Pompova Leiva, 43, and Yosvany González Leiva, 53.

In the Mexican government’s search report, authorities disclosed the physical characteristics of the missing Cubans and the clothing they were wearing the last time they were seen while publishing contacts and emails so the public could provide information that could lead authorities to their location.

So far, the Aztec country’s authorities have not given any further statements about the case, and the Cubans have not shared information about what happened either. It is unknown if the Cubans were abducted or left the airport voluntarily without reporting their destination to Mexican authorities upon their arrival.

La Jornada, one of Mexico City’s major newspapers, reported that the family had been residing in Tapachula, Chiapas for some time.

In recent years, Mexico has faced a serious crisis of forced disappearances, official figures report more than 110,000 people not located since there was a record and more than 50,000 unidentified bodies in the forensic system.