đź”— Share this article Two Cuba-Destined Humanitarian Ships Reported Unaccounted For after Setting Sail from the Coast of Mexico. The Friendship and Tigger Moth left Quintana Roo on 20 March. A comprehensive rescue and recovery effort is presently ongoing in the Caribbean Sea for two unlocated boats carrying humanitarian supplies traveling from the Mexican coast to Havana. Naval Rescue Missions Launched Authorities in Mexico has dispatched naval assets and military search aircraft to find the two vessels, which were had on board no fewer than nine total crew members, according to a navy statement. The ships had been projected to reach Havana on Tuesday or Wednesday, but there has been no communication from them and no official word of their docking, authorities reported. Context of Humanitarian Support to Cuba The Caribbean nation has leaned on Mexico's over recent weeks, as the country grapples with widespread power outages across the country. "Both captains and crews are seasoned mariners, and the two ships are fitted with appropriate navigational gear and emergency beacons," a spokesperson involved in the effort stated. The nine-person crew are from the United States, Cuba, France, and Poland. Officials said it has established contact with coast guard agencies from the involved countries along with their embassy officials. "Our team is collaborating completely with the officials and continue to be hopeful in the capability of the sailors to make it to Cuba without incident," the statement continued. Previous Aid Mission Just days before, the Cuban government widely celebrated and greeted with fanfare another boat that had carried 14 tons of relief supplies to the island. That vessel, called "a modern Granma" following the name of the boat in which Fidel Castro returned to Cuba to begin the armed struggle in the 1950s, delivered photovoltaic panels, pharmaceuticals, infant formula, cycles and foodstuffs. Broader Political Backdrop Volunteers and NGOs have largely spearheaded initiatives to ship critical assistance to Cuba starting at the turn of the year, coinciding with the time a oil sanctions on the Communist-run nation was initiated. The United Nations have since raised alarms about ""critical" shortages of supplies, with in excess of 50k surgical procedures cancelled in Cuba because of power shortages. Political pressure have intensified in recent months, with comments from various leaders highlighting the complicated situation regarding relations. Responding to previous proposals, a high-ranking official from Cuba declared that "the governance model of Cuba is not up for negotiation." Indications suggest that initial phases of negotiations had begun, although their ongoing development remains uncertain. The Mexican navy said it was dedicated to using every available asset at its reach to find the boats and ensure the safety of the crews. As of now, there has been no official comment on the disappeared vessels by the Cuban government.
The Friendship and Tigger Moth left Quintana Roo on 20 March. A comprehensive rescue and recovery effort is presently ongoing in the Caribbean Sea for two unlocated boats carrying humanitarian supplies traveling from the Mexican coast to Havana. Naval Rescue Missions Launched Authorities in Mexico has dispatched naval assets and military search aircraft to find the two vessels, which were had on board no fewer than nine total crew members, according to a navy statement. The ships had been projected to reach Havana on Tuesday or Wednesday, but there has been no communication from them and no official word of their docking, authorities reported. Context of Humanitarian Support to Cuba The Caribbean nation has leaned on Mexico's over recent weeks, as the country grapples with widespread power outages across the country. "Both captains and crews are seasoned mariners, and the two ships are fitted with appropriate navigational gear and emergency beacons," a spokesperson involved in the effort stated. The nine-person crew are from the United States, Cuba, France, and Poland. Officials said it has established contact with coast guard agencies from the involved countries along with their embassy officials. "Our team is collaborating completely with the officials and continue to be hopeful in the capability of the sailors to make it to Cuba without incident," the statement continued. Previous Aid Mission Just days before, the Cuban government widely celebrated and greeted with fanfare another boat that had carried 14 tons of relief supplies to the island. That vessel, called "a modern Granma" following the name of the boat in which Fidel Castro returned to Cuba to begin the armed struggle in the 1950s, delivered photovoltaic panels, pharmaceuticals, infant formula, cycles and foodstuffs. Broader Political Backdrop Volunteers and NGOs have largely spearheaded initiatives to ship critical assistance to Cuba starting at the turn of the year, coinciding with the time a oil sanctions on the Communist-run nation was initiated. The United Nations have since raised alarms about ""critical" shortages of supplies, with in excess of 50k surgical procedures cancelled in Cuba because of power shortages. Political pressure have intensified in recent months, with comments from various leaders highlighting the complicated situation regarding relations. Responding to previous proposals, a high-ranking official from Cuba declared that "the governance model of Cuba is not up for negotiation." Indications suggest that initial phases of negotiations had begun, although their ongoing development remains uncertain. The Mexican navy said it was dedicated to using every available asset at its reach to find the boats and ensure the safety of the crews. As of now, there has been no official comment on the disappeared vessels by the Cuban government.