Two sailboats carrying humanitarian assistance from Mexico successfully reached Havana on Saturday, as confirmed by Mexico’s navy. The journey of the vessels faced delays due to adverse weather conditions and a brief period of being unaccounted for. The navy verified the safe docking of the sailboats in Havana after closely monitoring their final approach. Following their reported disappearance on Thursday, a maritime surveillance aircraft spotted the sailboats approximately 148 kilometers northwest of Cuba on Friday.
Despite the challenges posed by unfavorable weather conditions, particularly strong winds, the crews aboard the sailboats reported being in good health. The two boats were part of a convoy aimed at delivering essential supplies such as food, medicine, and baby formula to Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean. This aid delivery is crucial due to the U.S. blockade restricting the shipment of oil and other supplies, exacerbating power outages and necessitating service rationing by the Cuban government.
A spokesperson for the Nuestra America Convoy stated, “The vessels are continuing their journey to Havana, and the convoy remains on course to fulfill its mission of providing urgently needed humanitarian aid to the Cuban people.”
The sailboats went missing after departing from Mexico’s Isla Mujeres the previous Saturday and were originally scheduled to arrive in Havana between March 24 and 25. The U.S. Coast Guard initially indicated to a French news agency on Friday that the boats had been located, but later retracted this statement, causing confusion as the search efforts continued.
The Nuestra America coalition, comprising nearly 300 organizations from over 30 countries, including non-governmental groups, unions, political parties, and lawmakers, has contributed around 20 tonnes of aid to Cuba through air and sea transport. The aid includes provisions like food, medicine, solar panels, and bicycles, demonstrating international solidarity with the Cuban people.