Search Launched for Missing Cuba-Bound Aid Ships from Mexico

Fri Mar 27 2026 13:19:20 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A search and rescue operation is underway in the Caribbean for two sailboats carrying humanitarian supplies to Cuba, missing since March 20. The Mexican navy has activated resources in the quest to locate the vessels and ensure the safety of their crews.

Two sailboats, Friendship and Tigger Moth, have gone missing while en route to Cuba carrying humanitarian aid. Search operations by the Mexican navy are ongoing, as the crew members from various countries are yet to be contacted. Enhanced searches are being conducted after the vessels failed to arrive in Havana as scheduled.

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 said.

The Mexican navy said it was committed to using all resources at its disposal to locate the boats and ensure the safety of the crews.

The two missing ships departed Isla Mujeres on March 20. The nine crew members hail from Poland, France, Cuba, and the U.S., and Mexico has reached out to maritime rescue coordination centers in these countries.

The captains and crews are experienced sailors, and both vessels are equipped with appropriate safety systems and signaling equipment, stated a spokesperson for the convoy.

It has been reported that there has been no comment from the Cuban government regarding the missing boats. Earlier this week, another vessel delivered humanitarian aid to Cuba, amidst a backdrop of ongoing supply shortages aggravated by a fuel embargo.

The ongoing humanitarian effort is crucial, given the dire situation in Cuba where more than 50,000 surgeries have been canceled due to supply issues, according to the United Nations.