🔗 Share this article Two Separate Cuba-Headed Relief Ships Listed Unaccounted For after Departing Mexico. The Friendship and Tigger Moth set off from Mexico on March 20th. A extensive search and rescue effort is currently in progress in the Caribbean region for a duo of unlocated sailing vessels loaded with humanitarian supplies traveling from the Mexican coast to Cuba. Naval Search and Rescue Operations Deployed Authorities in Mexico has deployed naval teams and search planes to search for the missing boats, which were transporting a minimum of nine total sailors, as stated by a navy statement. The vessels had been projected to make landfall in Cuba's capital on either Tuesday or Wednesday, but there has been radio silence from them and no official word of their arrival, authorities reported. Background of Aid to the Island Cuba has relied heavily on Mexico's over the last several weeks, as the island endures multiple nationwide blackouts. "Both skippers and their teams are seasoned mariners, and the two ships are equipped with proper safety systems and emergency beacons," a representative involved in the effort said. The nine crew members are citizens of Poland, France, Cuba and the US. Officials said it has been in touch with rescue coordination centers from each country along with their embassy officials. "We are co-operating fully with the authorities and continue to be hopeful in the capability of the sailors to safely arrive in Havana," the official further stated. Previous Relief Shipment Earlier in the week, the Cuban authorities widely celebrated and warmly received another boat that had carried 14 tons of relief supplies to the island. That vessel, nicknamed "a new Granma" after the boat in which the revolutionary leader landed in Cuba to begin the Cuban Revolution in the 1950s, carried solar panels, pharmaceuticals, formula milk, cycles and provisions. Wider Geopolitical Climate Volunteers and NGOs have been at the forefront of attempts to ship humanitarian aid to Cuba starting at the turn of the year, a period which saw a oil sanctions on the island nation came into effect. The United Nations have since highlighted ""critical" lack of essential goods, with more than fifty thousand surgeries cancelled in Cuba because of power shortages. Foreign policy tensions have intensified in recent months, with comments from several leaders emphasizing the complex nature of bilateral relations. In response to previous statements, a senior government figure declared that "the socialist system of Cuba is not up for negotiation." Reports suggest that preliminary steps of talks had begun, although their ongoing development remains not publicly known. The Mexican navy said it was committed to using every available asset at its disposal to find the boats and ensure the security of the people on board. At this time, there has been no official comment on the missing boats by the Cuban leadership.
The Friendship and Tigger Moth set off from Mexico on March 20th. A extensive search and rescue effort is currently in progress in the Caribbean region for a duo of unlocated sailing vessels loaded with humanitarian supplies traveling from the Mexican coast to Cuba. Naval Search and Rescue Operations Deployed Authorities in Mexico has deployed naval teams and search planes to search for the missing boats, which were transporting a minimum of nine total sailors, as stated by a navy statement. The vessels had been projected to make landfall in Cuba's capital on either Tuesday or Wednesday, but there has been radio silence from them and no official word of their arrival, authorities reported. Background of Aid to the Island Cuba has relied heavily on Mexico's over the last several weeks, as the island endures multiple nationwide blackouts. "Both skippers and their teams are seasoned mariners, and the two ships are equipped with proper safety systems and emergency beacons," a representative involved in the effort said. The nine crew members are citizens of Poland, France, Cuba and the US. Officials said it has been in touch with rescue coordination centers from each country along with their embassy officials. "We are co-operating fully with the authorities and continue to be hopeful in the capability of the sailors to safely arrive in Havana," the official further stated. Previous Relief Shipment Earlier in the week, the Cuban authorities widely celebrated and warmly received another boat that had carried 14 tons of relief supplies to the island. That vessel, nicknamed "a new Granma" after the boat in which the revolutionary leader landed in Cuba to begin the Cuban Revolution in the 1950s, carried solar panels, pharmaceuticals, formula milk, cycles and provisions. Wider Geopolitical Climate Volunteers and NGOs have been at the forefront of attempts to ship humanitarian aid to Cuba starting at the turn of the year, a period which saw a oil sanctions on the island nation came into effect. The United Nations have since highlighted ""critical" lack of essential goods, with more than fifty thousand surgeries cancelled in Cuba because of power shortages. Foreign policy tensions have intensified in recent months, with comments from several leaders emphasizing the complex nature of bilateral relations. In response to previous statements, a senior government figure declared that "the socialist system of Cuba is not up for negotiation." Reports suggest that preliminary steps of talks had begun, although their ongoing development remains not publicly known. The Mexican navy said it was committed to using every available asset at its disposal to find the boats and ensure the security of the people on board. At this time, there has been no official comment on the missing boats by the Cuban leadership.