March 27, 2026, 11:16 amMarch 27, 2026, 11:16 am
Two sailboats with nine activists on board that were carrying aid to Cuba are missing, according to the Mexican Navy. The boats were supposed to arrive on the socialist Caribbean island on Tuesday or Wednesday, but there was no communication with the crew, the authorities said. The Navy initially did not provide any information about the nationality of the people on board.
Two people are fishing in the Cuban capital Havana.Image: keystone
The Mexican authorities are in contact with the embassies of the activists’ countries of origin as well as with the maritime rescue control centers in Poland, France, Cuba and the USA, it said. The catamarans set sail from the Mexican island of Isla Mujeres on Saturday. According to the media, the activists wanted to leave a day earlier, but due to bad weather conditions the departure was postponed.
An unwanted change in course cannot be ruled out
The search operations will be carried out “taking into account the expected route, possible course changes, as well as the weather conditions and ocean currents prevailing in the region,” the Navy said. The crews of other ships were asked to inform immediately if they noticed the sailboats.
An international coalition of activists had brought relief supplies to Cuba by air and sea in recent days. The island has been in a severe economic crisis for years, which has been exacerbated in the last three months by a US oil embargo. The US government under Donald Trump is exerting considerable pressure on Cuba to force the communist government to implement economic and political reforms. (dab/sda/dpa)