Sawt Falasteen - Fate of missing Cuba aid boats unclear after US report

The Mexican Navy reported Thursday that it began a search and rescue mission after losing communication with the vessels, which left from Isla Mujeres in southeast Mexico a week ago with nine people aboard.

The sailboats are part of an international convoy that has brought 50 tonnes of medical supplies, food, solar panels and other goods to support Cuba as a US fuel blockade has deepened the communist-ruled island's energy and economic crisis.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Friday that the search for the sailboats -- the Friend Ship and Tiger Moth -- was ongoing.

A Mexican Navy ship had "established contact with them and after a few hours it no longer had contact with them. At that point, a search operation was initiated," Sheinbaum said at a news conference in Mexico City.

Around the same time she spoke, the US Coast Guard told AFP that it had "received a report at 10:36 am (1436 GMT) today that the two vessels safely transited to Cuba."

The Coast Guard, however, later released an "updated" statement saying the Mexican Navy was leading the "ongoing search" along with Cuban authorities.

It added that it was not involved in the search.

Cuban and Mexican authorities have so far not confirmed any sightings of the vessels.

The Mexican Navy had indicated that the boats were due to arrive between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Havana was "doing everything possible" to help the search.

- 'Experienced' sailors -

The first shipments from the Our America Convoy arrived by plane from Europe and the United States last week.

A fishing boat that was converted into an aid vessel, which had also left Mexico last week, arrived in Cuba on Tuesday, a few days later than planned due to unfavorable weather, currents and battery issues.

It had been escorted by a Mexican Navy ship part of the way.

After the Mexican Navy reported Thursday that the two sailboats were missing, a spokesperson for Our America Convoy said organizers remained confident in the "experienced" crew's ability to reach Havana safely.

Both vessels were equipped "with appropriate safety systems and signalling equipment," the spokesperson said, adding that based on their speed they could arrive in Cuba between Friday night and Saturday morning.

Organizers of the convoy declined to comment further on Friday.

Naval authorities did not specify the identities or nationalities of the boats' crew members, but said they were maintaining communication with rescue agencies in Poland, France, Cuba and the United States.

Meanwhile, a Mexican Navy ship carrying 111 tonnes of food and other donations arrived in Havana on Friday, according to official Cuban media.

Mexico has now sent four shipments of aid to Cuba totalling more than 3,000 tonnes, though it has yet to resume oil deliveries.

US President Donald Trump imposed a de facto oil blockade on Cuba in January after US forces seized Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, whose government had been Cuba's principal source of fuel.

Trump has also threatened tariffs on countries that ship oil to Cuba.

N.Awad--SF-PST