2 Aid Boats Missing, Heading for Cuba with International Crews

Mexican Navy Launches Search for Missing Aid Boats

The Mexican navy announced Thursday that it is searching for two boats carrying humanitarian aid to Cuba. The vessels departed from Isla Mujeres on March 20 and were scheduled to arrive in Havana by Tuesday or Wednesday this week.

No communication or confirmation of arrival has been received, prompting the navy’s alerting of regional naval commanders and search and rescue stations. Since last week, activists from various countries have embarked on Mexican ports with vessels loaded with food and supplies for Cuba, which is facing a humanitarian crisis due to a U.S.-imposed fuel embargo.

A spokesperson for Nuestra America Convoy, an international coalition aiding in organizing aid shipments to Cuba, confirmed the boats’ involvement. They stated that the captains and crews are experienced sailors equipped with safety systems and signaling equipment. The convoy remains confident in the crews’ ability to reach Havana safely and is cooperating fully with authorities.

The Mexican navy did not disclose the identities or nationalities of the crew members but maintained communication with rescue agencies in Poland, France, Cuba, and the U.S., as well as diplomatic missions of the crew’s countries of origin. The navy used aircraft to search the route between Isla Mujeres and Havana and appealed for any information or sightings from seafarers and maritime authorities in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.

The fuel embargo imposed by President Trump in January, following the U.S. ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, has significantly impacted Cuba’s access to fuel supplies.