The Mexican Navy has launched a search and rescue operation in the Caribbean Sea to locate two missing sailboats that were carrying humanitarian aid to crisis-stricken Cuba. The vessels departed from Isla Mujeres in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo and were bound for Havana.

With nine people of various nationalities on board, the boats failed to arrive in the Cuban capital as scheduled on March 24 and March 25. In a statement, the Navy appealed to mariners and maritime authorities in the region to report any sightings or information, adding that an aircraft is being used to search the route between Isla Mujeres and Havana.

The missing boats were part of the "Nuestra America Convoy," a non-governmental initiative aimed at delivering essential supplies to Cuba, which is facing a severe energy and economic crisis due to a tightened embargo by the US regime. Volunteers in Mexico last week loaded the boats with items such as rice, beans, baby formula, wipes, and medicine.

A spokesperson for the convoy told Reuters that the captains and crews are experienced sailors and the vessels are equipped with appropriate safety systems and signaling equipment. Mexican authorities have contacted maritime rescue coordination centers in several countries, including Poland, France, Cuba, and the US, as well as diplomatic representatives of the missing individuals' countries of origin, which have not yet been disclosed. One separate vessel from the convoy successfully reached Havana on Tuesday.

Source: www.dw.com