Mexico's navy said 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.
The catamarans, named Friendship and Tigger Moth, set sail from Isla Mujeres in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo on 20 March, carrying nine crew members of Polish, French, Cuban, and American nationality.
They were expected to arrive in Havana between 24 and 25 March, but no contact has been made, and there has been no confirmation that they reached their destination.
Mexico’s navy said on Thursday that it had deployed naval teams and military aircraft to locate the missing boats. It has also coordinated with maritime rescue centres in Poland, France, Cuba, and the United States, as well as diplomatic representatives from the countries of the crew members.
“The captains and crews are experienced sailors, and both vessels are equipped with appropriate safety systems and signalling equipment,” a spokesperson for the aid convoy, Nuestra America, said. “We are co-operating fully with the authorities and remain confident in the crews’ ability to reach Havana safely.”
The missing boats are part of a wider grassroots effort to deliver aid to Cuba, which has been facing prolonged power outages and a deepening economic crisis following tightened U.S. sanctions on oil and other goods.
Volunteers in Mexico last week loaded the convoy with rice, beans, baby formula, medicine, and other essential supplies.
Earlier in the week, another vessel from the convoy, dubbed Granma 2.0, successfully reached Havana carrying 14 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including solar panels, food, bicycles, and medicines. The arrival was widely celebrated in Cuba.
Cuba has increasingly relied on humanitarian shipments from Mexico since the U.S. fuel embargo began in January, which has contributed to nationwide blackouts and critical shortages.
The United Nations has warned of “dire” supply shortages, with more than 50,000 surgeries cancelled due to electricity constraints.
There has been no comment so far from the Cuban government regarding the missing boats. Meanwhile, U.S.-Cuba tensions continue, with recent statements from U.S. officials and Cuban leaders highlighting the ongoing strain in relations.
The Mexican navy has pledged to use all available resources to locate the vessels and ensure the safety of the crew.
Iran’s army said it targeted U.S. military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait with drone attacks. Tehran said the operations were carried out in retal...
Pakistan has joined a Saudi-led multinational maritime coalition to help protect key shipping routes through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as attacks ...
Thousands of people spent the night on beaches, waiting by fences or wading through the sea in the hope of reaching Europe, as an estimated 49,000 mig...
Saudi Arabia said its overnight strikes on Iran-backed group targets in Iraq were carried out in self-defence and warned it would take further military action if the groups launched new attacks against the kingdom.
The U.S. military said it completed its latest wave of strikes on Iran, a two-hour operation that hit dozens of targets. Washington described the strikes as a "powerful response" to Iranian missile attacks targeting U.S. forces in the Middle East a day earlier.
A fire involving two gas vessels at Egypt's Damietta port has prompted conflicting reports over whether the incident was caused by a drone strike or an onboard technical fault. Egyptian authorities said there were no casualties.
Thousands of migrants have crossed into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta from Morocco, overwhelming border security and prompting local authorities to call for a national emergency and military deployment.
The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck Japan’s southwestern Kumamoto prefecture has risen to 30, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Thursday, as water and power shortages left survivors exposed to extreme summer heat.
Thousands of people spent the night on beaches, waiting by fences or wading through the sea in the hope of reaching Europe, as an estimated 49,000 migrants crossed into Spain's enclave of Ceuta in just 24 hours.
Carlos Cordeiro, senior adviser to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, has resigned with immediate effect in protest over proposals to sell a stake in the FIFA World Cup, calling the plan "a bad deal for football."
Ukraine targeted a warehouse belonging to Russia’s largest retailer, Wildberries, and an oil refinery overnight, while Moscow said its forces struck a ship carrying military cargo in the Black Sea.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 31st of July, covering the latest developments.
At least 18 coal miners have been killed and 14 others remain trapped after a powerful methane gas explosion caused part of a mining complex to collapse in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, officials said on Thursday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment