A Cuban fisherman named Carlos Fong heroically saved a father and his two young children from being swept away by a powerful ocean current. The entire rescue operation was captured live by Fong on his fishing boat and shared on his TikTok account on July 21.
In just under two minutes, Fong uploaded three videos to the platform, capturing the desperation of the rescue mission. As he battled against the fierce current that nearly immobilized his boat's engine, his voice conveyed anxiety as he searched for one of the children: "I can't see the other child. Family, I can't see the other child. Ah, I see him now. He's reaching the shore because he has a float."
In the second video, Fong manages to pull the children from the water, warning his viewers: "One's still missing, and we're not making progress. Look at the current, family, and there's still a girl missing; there's such a strong current here, she'll drown if I don't bring her in."
The third video shows the gravity of the situation once all three victims were safe: the father had been pushing his children because he no longer had the strength to stay afloat. "He was pushing them because he couldn't go on. His two children," Fong explained.
With relief and a hint of humor, the Cuban fisherman concluded the rescue by saying, "Look at today's catch, we caught people." He ended with a stern warning: "Family, just so you know, it's dangerous to mess with the current."
The videos garnered over 150,000 combined views on TikTok, with the second clip surpassing 57,100 views and the third drawing the most engagement.
Fong's rescue adds to a series of heroic acts by Cubans at sea in recent years. In October 2025, Dr. Yaismel Corrada Valdés jumped into the sea in Pinar del Río to help a fisherman attacked by a shark. In November 2020, Cuban lifeguard Darián Oscar Leonard Pino drowned in Cayo Coco after rescuing four Russian tourists caught in a current. In June 2023, Ariel Romero Velázquez died in Miami Beach while trying to save an 11-year-old girl and her father.
Unlike those tragic incidents, Carlos Fong's rescue had a completely successful outcome: all three victims survived. "Thank God we could save them, thank you, thank you for that. Blessings, family," the fisherman said as he concluded the operation.
Insights into Sea Rescues in Cuba
What challenges did Carlos Fong face during the rescue?
Carlos Fong faced a strong ocean current that nearly immobilized his boat's engine, making it difficult to reach and pull the victims to safety.
How many views did the rescue videos receive on TikTok?
The rescue videos posted by Carlos Fong received over 150,000 combined views, with the second video surpassing 57,100 views.
What makes Carlos Fong's rescue different from other recent sea rescues in Cuba?
Unlike other recent sea rescues in Cuba that ended tragically, Carlos Fong's rescue was completely successful, with all three victims surviving.