Humanitarian Sailboats Reach Havana After Going Missing During Voyage From Mexico

Two sailboats carrying humanitarian aid arrived in Havana on Saturday, March 28, 2026, after going missing for several days during a week-long voyage from Mexico, prompting a search and rescue operation by the Mexican navy. The vessels, named "Friend Ship" and "Tiger Moth," were spotted by a Mexican reconnaissance aircraft 80 (nautical miles) — distance northwest of Havana where boats were spotted northwest of the Cuban capital on Saturday morning before safely anchoring in the port. The two catamarans carried nine crew members of various nationalities and formed the final leg of the "Nuestra América" (Our America) convoy, an international humanitarian effort delivering urgently needed goods to the Caribbean island. An AFP journalist observed the boats sailing off the coast of Havana toward the port before they anchored safely.

Bad weather cut contact for two days at sea The two sailboats had departed from Isla Mujeres, in southeastern Mexico, on March 20, 2026, and were expected to arrive in Havana within days, but communication was lost between Thursday and Saturday, triggering alarm among convoy coordinators and maritime authorities. The Mexican navy announced on Thursday that it had launched a search and rescue operation after losing all contact with the vessels, deploying both aircraft and ships and involving international bodies in the effort. Mexico said it was in contact with maritime rescue coordination centers and embassies of several countries during the search. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Friday that the search was continuing, explaining at a press conference in Mexico City that a Mexican navy ship had initially made contact with the boats but then lost it again, at which point the full search operation was launched. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Friday that Havana was doing "everything possible" to contribute to the search efforts. A spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard told AFP on Friday that the two vessels had made the crossing to Cuba without incident, though the Coast Guard later issued an update clarifying that the Mexican navy was directing the ongoing searches with Cuban authorities.

„A Mexican navy ship made contact with them and, after a few hours, it had no more contact. At that point, a search operation was launched.” — Claudia Sheinbaum via BFMTV

Convoy coordinator credits solidarity, thanks Mexican navy Upon arriving in Havana, convoy coordinator Adnaan Stumo, a U.S. citizen, attributed the delay and loss of contact to difficult conditions at sea, thanking the Mexican navy for its support. Stumo said the crews were "delighted" to begin delivering aid to Cubans on the island. James Schneider, communications director for Progressive International, which helped coordinate the convoy, said he was "relieved" to hear the crews were safe and confirmed the convoy remained on track to complete its mission. A first boat from the humanitarian flotilla had already reached Cuba on Tuesday, ahead of the two missing vessels. The same day the boats arrived, a delegation of religious leaders also reached Cuba, visiting hospitals and a nursing home and meeting with local religious figures.

„We arrive with a simple but powerful message: solidarity with the Cuban people doesn't stop at borders. It crosses oceans. Over the past week, our sailboats encountered difficult conditions at sea, during which we lost contact with convoy coordinators and maritime authorities alike.” — Adnaan Stumo via Politico

„The crews are safe, and the vessels are continuing their journey to Havana. The convoy remains on track to complete its mission — delivering urgently needed humanitarian aid to the Cuban people.” — James Schneider via Politico

Trump's "Cuba is next" remark shadows the convoy's arrival The arrival of the aid boats took place against a backdrop of deepening tension between the United States and Cuba, as the island faces a severe energy and economic crisis linked to a U.S. fuel blockade that has caused prolonged blackouts and pushed the country toward collapse. The convoy was carrying 50 (tons) — total humanitarian aid aboard the Nuestra América convoy of medical supplies, food, solar panels, and other essential goods. United Nations leaders have warned of a potential "humanitarian crisis" in Cuba's future, with hospitals, schools, and many residents going without power for extended periods. The Rev. Philip Vinod Peacock, general secretary of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, who was part of the religious delegation visiting Cuba, described the scale of suffering on the island. U.S. President Donald Trump, in a speech on Friday, March 27, 2026, stated "Cuba is next" after speaking about military actions in Venezuela and Iran, adding further uncertainty to the situation in the region.

„Immense suffering is being caused to the people.” — Philip Vinod Peacock via Politico

Cuba has faced a prolonged economic and energy crisis tied to U.S. sanctions and an embargo on oil imports. The Nuestra América Convoy was organized as an international humanitarian initiative in early 2026 to deliver aid to the island by sea and air, with initial shipments arriving by plane from Europe and the United States before the maritime legs of the convoy set out. The convoy's maritime component departed from Isla Mujeres, Mexico, in March 2026. Cuba's communist government has attributed the island's energy shortages and economic difficulties to the U.S. embargo.

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