Emergency Search for Two Missing Aid Ships from Mexico to Cuba

Fri Mar 27 2026 12:10:39 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A rescue operation is underway for two sailboats missing in the Caribbean while transporting humanitarian supplies to Cuba, with Mexican naval teams deployed to locate them.

The Mexican navy has initiated a search for two missing sailboats, the Friendship and Tigger Moth, carrying humanitarian aid to Cuba. The vessels, expected to arrive in Havana earlier this week, lost communication with authorities after departing on March 20. Search efforts include naval teams and military aircraft, aimed at ensuring the safety of the nine crew members from various countries involved in the mission.

A search and rescue operation is underway in the Caribbean for two missing sailboats filled with humanitarian supplies travelling from Mexico to Cuba.

Mexico has deployed naval teams and military search aircraft to locate the Friendship and Tigger Moth, which were carrying at least nine crew members, the Mexican navy said in a statement.

The vessels had been expected to arrive in Havana on Tuesday or Wednesday, but there has been no communication from them and no confirmation of their arrival, the navy stated.

The Mexican navy is committed to utilizing all available resources to locate the boats and ensure the safety of the crews.

The two ships set sail from Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, on March 20.

The nine crew members onboard hail from Poland, France, Cuba, and the US. Mexico has established contact with maritime rescue coordination centers from each crew member's home country, along with their diplomatic representatives.

The captains and crews are experienced sailors, and both vessels are equipped with appropriate safety systems and signalling equipment, the convoy's spokesperson remarked in a statement to Reuters.

We are co-operating fully with the authorities and remain confident in the crews' ability to reach Havana safely.

There has been no response from the Cuban government regarding the missing boats.

Earlier this week, Cuba celebrated the arrival of another boat that had delivered 14 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including solar panels, medicines, baby formula, bicycles, and food.

Since January, volunteers and NGOs have significantly aided in delivering humanitarian supplies to Cuba due to the US fuel embargo.

The United Nations has warned of severe supply shortages, with numerous surgeries canceled in Cuba due to electricity supply issues.

Cuba's increasing dependence on humanitarian shipments from Mexico has been intensified amid nationwide blackouts resulting from the US energy blockade.

Trump's administration has escalated pressure on Cuba following the seizing of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January, adversely affecting the supply of oil to the island.

As negotiations between Cuba and the US appear to be in the early stages, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed the beginning of talks, although their progress remains uncertain.