MEXICO CITY, March 26 (Reuters) - Two boats carrying humanitarian aid to Cuba have gone missing, Mexico's navy said on Thursday. The navy in a statement said the boats were supposed to arrive in
Two humanitarian aid boats en route to Cuba are missing, Mexico says
Search and Rescue Efforts for Missing Humanitarian Aid Boats
MEXICO CITY, March 26 (Reuters) - Mexico's navy said on Thursday it had activated a search-and-rescue operation in the Caribbean to locate two sailboats carrying humanitarian aid to Cuba after the vessels failed to arrive in Havana as scheduled.
Details of the Missing Boats
In a statement, the navy said the two boats left Isla Mujeres, in the Mexican Caribbean state of Quintana Roo, last week bound for Havana with nine crew members of different nationalities on board.
The vessels had been expected to arrive between March 24 and 25, but there had been no communication from them and no confirmation of their arrival, the navy said.
Background of the Humanitarian Mission
The two missing boats are part of a broader grassroots aid effort for energy-strapped Cuba, which has been suffering prolonged power outages and a deepening economic crisis after the U.S. tightened an embargo on oil and other goods. A separate vessel from the convoy arrived in Havana on Tuesday.
Supplies and Volunteer Efforts
Volunteers in Mexico last week loaded boats with rice, baby wipes, beans, baby formula, medicine and other supplies as part of the "Nuestra America Convoy," a non-government initiative seeking to deliver food, medicines and energy-related goods to the island.
Statements from Organizers and Authorities
"The captains and crews are experienced sailors, and both vessels are equipped with appropriate safety systems and signalling equipment," a spokesperson for the convoy said in a statement to Reuters. "We are cooperating fully with the authorities and remain confident in the crews' ability to reach Havana safely."
International Cooperation in Search Efforts
Mexico also established contact with maritime rescue coordination centers in Poland, France, Cuba and the United States, as well as diplomatic representatives of the countries of origin of those on board, the navy said.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Rodolfo Pena and Kylie Madry; Editing by Daina Beth Solomon and Lincoln Feast.)
