🔗 Share this article Two Cuba-Destined Aid Ships Declared Unaccounted For after Leaving Mexico. Both ships named Friendship and Tigger Moth departed Mexico on 20 March. A extensive search and recovery operation is presently ongoing in the Caribbean waters for two missing boats carrying aid cargo traveling from the Mexican coast to Cuba. Maritime Rescue Operations Launched The Mexican government has deployed navy personnel and search planes to locate the missing boats, which were carrying a minimum of nine crew members, according to a navy statement. The ships had been expected to arrive in Cuba's capital on Tuesday or Wednesday, but there has been radio silence from them and zero verification of their docking, the navy said. Context of Relief to the Nation The island nation has leaned on humanitarian shipments from Mexico over recent weeks, as the country endures multiple national electricity failures. "Both crews and captains are seasoned mariners, and both vessels are fitted with appropriate navigational gear and emergency beacons," an official for the convoy stated. The nine crew members are citizens of the United States, Cuba, France, and Poland. Mexico said it has established contact with rescue coordination centers from each country along with their consular staff. "We are working closely with the authorities and continue to be hopeful in the crews' ability to make it to Cuba without incident," the statement continued. Earlier Humanitarian Mission Earlier in the week, the Cuban government warmly welcomed and greeted with fanfare another boat that had carried a significant amount of donated goods to the nation. That boat, called "a new Granma" after the yacht in which Fidel Castro returned to Cuba to begin the revolution in the mid-20th century, brought solar panels, drugs, infant formula, bicycles and foodstuffs. Wider International Backdrop Charity groups and individuals have largely spearheaded attempts to bring humanitarian aid to Cuba starting at the turn of the year, when a fuel embargo on the country was initiated. International organizations have since raised alarms about ""severe" shortages of supplies, with more than fifty thousand surgeries called off in Cuba because of energy rationing. Diplomatic measures have been ramped up over the past months, with statements from various representatives emphasizing the complicated state of relations. Responding to previous proposals, a high-ranking Cuban official insisted that "the governance model of Cuba is not subject to discussion." Indications suggest that initial phases of discussions had begun, although their current progress remains not publicly known. The maritime authorities said it was dedicated to using every available asset at its disposal to locate the vessels and ensure the well-being of the crews. As of now, there has been no official comment on the lost ships by the Cuban leadership.
Both ships named Friendship and Tigger Moth departed Mexico on 20 March. A extensive search and recovery operation is presently ongoing in the Caribbean waters for two missing boats carrying aid cargo traveling from the Mexican coast to Cuba. Maritime Rescue Operations Launched The Mexican government has deployed navy personnel and search planes to locate the missing boats, which were carrying a minimum of nine crew members, according to a navy statement. The ships had been expected to arrive in Cuba's capital on Tuesday or Wednesday, but there has been radio silence from them and zero verification of their docking, the navy said. Context of Relief to the Nation The island nation has leaned on humanitarian shipments from Mexico over recent weeks, as the country endures multiple national electricity failures. "Both crews and captains are seasoned mariners, and both vessels are fitted with appropriate navigational gear and emergency beacons," an official for the convoy stated. The nine crew members are citizens of the United States, Cuba, France, and Poland. Mexico said it has established contact with rescue coordination centers from each country along with their consular staff. "We are working closely with the authorities and continue to be hopeful in the crews' ability to make it to Cuba without incident," the statement continued. Earlier Humanitarian Mission Earlier in the week, the Cuban government warmly welcomed and greeted with fanfare another boat that had carried a significant amount of donated goods to the nation. That boat, called "a new Granma" after the yacht in which Fidel Castro returned to Cuba to begin the revolution in the mid-20th century, brought solar panels, drugs, infant formula, bicycles and foodstuffs. Wider International Backdrop Charity groups and individuals have largely spearheaded attempts to bring humanitarian aid to Cuba starting at the turn of the year, when a fuel embargo on the country was initiated. International organizations have since raised alarms about ""severe" shortages of supplies, with more than fifty thousand surgeries called off in Cuba because of energy rationing. Diplomatic measures have been ramped up over the past months, with statements from various representatives emphasizing the complicated state of relations. Responding to previous proposals, a high-ranking Cuban official insisted that "the governance model of Cuba is not subject to discussion." Indications suggest that initial phases of discussions had begun, although their current progress remains not publicly known. The maritime authorities said it was dedicated to using every available asset at its disposal to locate the vessels and ensure the well-being of the crews. As of now, there has been no official comment on the lost ships by the Cuban leadership.