Cuban minister apologizes to Laval family mourning father after wrong body sent back

Last Updated April 24, 2024 7:14 pm.

Cuba's foreign minister says he has apologized to a Laval family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of their father last month.

Faraj Jarjour, 68, died in Varadero, Cuba, after having a heart attack while swimming in the ocean on March 22. It was the second day of a family vacation.

BACKGROUND: Quebec family says wrong body sent back after father died in Cuba

The family paid $10,000 to have their father's body repatriated. But the body of a Russian man about 20 years younger was sent to the Montreal funeral home instead.

The Jarjours still do not know where Faraj's body is.

I talked by phone with FM @melaniejoly about unfortunate incident related to the transfer of corpse of Canadian citizen who died in Cuba.

Cuban authorities investigate to clarify incident. I conveyed heartfelt condolences & apologies to relatives and friends of the deceased.

— Bruno Rodríguez P (@BrunoRguezP) April 24, 2024

"Cuban authorities investigate to clarify incident. I conveyed heartfelt condolences and apologies to relatives and friends of the deceased," Cuban Minister Bruno Rodríguez wrote on X Wednesday morning.

His social post was in reply to Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly after they spoke on the phone about the incident.

"We share the utmost concern for the unimaginable situation his family faces, with whom I spoke yesterday," Joly wrote. "Canada will continue to help the Jarjour family until this situation is resolved."