🔗 Share this article Two Cuba-Headed Humanitarian Sailboats Declared Missing after Setting Sail from the Coast of Mexico. Both vessels Friendship and Tigger Moth set off from Mexico on the 20th of March. A extensive rescue and recovery mission is currently under way in the Caribbean region for a pair of lost boats carrying humanitarian supplies journeying from the Mexican coast to the island of Cuba. Naval Search Missions Initiated Authorities in Mexico has dispatched naval teams and reconnaissance aircraft to locate the missing boats, which were had on board a minimum of nine personnel, per a official statement. The ships had been projected to make landfall in the Cuban capital on Tuesday or Wednesday, but there has been no communication from them and no official word of their safe arrival, the statement clarified. Background of Aid to Cuba Cuba has leaned on humanitarian shipments from Mexico over the last several weeks, as the island grapples with repeated nationwide blackouts. "The crews and captains are experienced sailors, and each boat are equipped with proper safety systems and communication devices," a spokesperson involved in the effort said. The nine crew members are from Poland, France, Cuba and the US. Mexico said it has opened communications with rescue coordination centers from each country along with their embassy officials. "The group is collaborating completely with the authorities and continue to be hopeful in the crews' ability to reach Havana safely," the official further stated. Earlier Aid Mission Earlier in the week, the Cuban authorities publicly celebrated and greeted with fanfare a different ship that had transported 14 tons of donated goods to the country. That vessel, nicknamed "a new Granma" after the boat in which Fidel Castro returned to Cuba to start the revolution in the 1950s, carried solar panels, medicines, infant formula, cycles and provisions. Larger Political Backdrop Charity groups and individuals have been at the forefront of attempts to bring essential supplies to Cuba starting at the turn of the year, coinciding with the time a fuel embargo on the country came into effect. Global bodies have since warned of ""critical" lack of essential goods, with more than 50k surgeries postponed in Cuba amid energy rationing. Political measures have been ramped up over the past months, with comments from various leaders underscoring the complex nature of bilateral relations. In response to recent proposals, a senior government figure insisted that "the socialist system of Cuba is not subject to discussion." Reports suggest that early stages of talks had begun, although their current progress remains uncertain. The maritime authorities stated it was dedicated to using every available asset at its reach to find the boats and secure the safety of the crews. At this time, there has been no public statement on the missing boats by the Cuban government.
Both vessels Friendship and Tigger Moth set off from Mexico on the 20th of March. A extensive rescue and recovery mission is currently under way in the Caribbean region for a pair of lost boats carrying humanitarian supplies journeying from the Mexican coast to the island of Cuba. Naval Search Missions Initiated Authorities in Mexico has dispatched naval teams and reconnaissance aircraft to locate the missing boats, which were had on board a minimum of nine personnel, per a official statement. The ships had been projected to make landfall in the Cuban capital on Tuesday or Wednesday, but there has been no communication from them and no official word of their safe arrival, the statement clarified. Background of Aid to Cuba Cuba has leaned on humanitarian shipments from Mexico over the last several weeks, as the island grapples with repeated nationwide blackouts. "The crews and captains are experienced sailors, and each boat are equipped with proper safety systems and communication devices," a spokesperson involved in the effort said. The nine crew members are from Poland, France, Cuba and the US. Mexico said it has opened communications with rescue coordination centers from each country along with their embassy officials. "The group is collaborating completely with the authorities and continue to be hopeful in the crews' ability to reach Havana safely," the official further stated. Earlier Aid Mission Earlier in the week, the Cuban authorities publicly celebrated and greeted with fanfare a different ship that had transported 14 tons of donated goods to the country. That vessel, nicknamed "a new Granma" after the boat in which Fidel Castro returned to Cuba to start the revolution in the 1950s, carried solar panels, medicines, infant formula, cycles and provisions. Larger Political Backdrop Charity groups and individuals have been at the forefront of attempts to bring essential supplies to Cuba starting at the turn of the year, coinciding with the time a fuel embargo on the country came into effect. Global bodies have since warned of ""critical" lack of essential goods, with more than 50k surgeries postponed in Cuba amid energy rationing. Political measures have been ramped up over the past months, with comments from various leaders underscoring the complex nature of bilateral relations. In response to recent proposals, a senior government figure insisted that "the socialist system of Cuba is not subject to discussion." Reports suggest that early stages of talks had begun, although their current progress remains uncertain. The maritime authorities stated it was dedicated to using every available asset at its reach to find the boats and secure the safety of the crews. At this time, there has been no public statement on the missing boats by the Cuban government.