Missing Aid Sailboats Arrive Safely in Cuba After Days-Long Search, Delivering Final Shipments of Solidarity Convoy
Two vessels carrying nine crew members, including a four-year-old boy, had lost contact during journey from Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula due to strong winds and communication issues
HAVANA — March 29, 2026 — Two sailboats carrying humanitarian aid to crisis-stricken Cuba arrived in Havana on Saturday, March 28, after disappearing during a longer-than-expected journey from Mexico that triggered an international search-and-rescue operation, according to an AFP journalist at the scene and multiple official sources .
The vessels, named Friend Ship and Tiger Moth, delivered the final shipments of the “Our America Convoy” (Nuestra América Convoy), an international grassroots humanitarian effort that has brought aid to support Cuba as a US oil blockade deepens the island’s energy and economic crisis. The crew of nine — who included American, French and German citizens and a four-year-old boy — appeared in good health and spirits, smiling and giving thumbs-up as they moored under clear skies.
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“We are very sorry to make people worried about us. We were never in any real danger,” Adnaan Stumo, a 33-year-old American and coordinator of the sailing convoy, told reporters at the port. “It was not a very difficult journey. It’s just a circuitous journey,” Stumo said, adding that the young boy aboard was “a strong, young sailor”.
Journey, Delay and Rescue
The Friend Ship and Tiger Moth set sail from Isla Mujeres off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on March 20, 2026. The vessels had been expected to arrive in Cuba between Tuesday, March 24, and Wednesday, March 25, but lost communication with maritime authorities during the crossing.
On Thursday, March 26, the Mexican Navy announced it had activated a search-and-rescue operation under the “Marina Plan,” deploying surface and air units including Persuader aircraft to locate the missing vessels. The navy established coordination with maritime rescue centers in Poland, France, Cuba and the United States, as well as diplomatic missions representing the crew members’ countries of origin.
For two days, concern grew. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel expressed the government’s “special concern” on social media, stating: “From our country, we are doing everything possible in the search and rescue of these brothers and sisters in the struggle”.
The confusion was briefly compounded on Friday, March 27, when the US Coast Guard initially stated it had received a report that the vessels had “safely transited to Cuba,” only to later clarify that the search was ongoing and that it was not involved in the operation.
The tense wait ended early Saturday, March 28, when organizers reported that the Mexican Navy had finally located the boats. According to the navy, one of its aircraft spotted the sailboats approximately 80 nautical miles (148 kilometers) northwest of Havana. A naval ship was then deployed to support their final approach.
Cause of the Disappearance
Stumo explained that the crews agreed to take a longer route north after facing strong winds from the east. Contact was lost with the Mexican Navy because the boat’s small satellite communication link “was on the fritz,” he said. The crew reestablished contact when a Mexican Navy plane flew overhead.
“We were not worried at all,” Stumo said, noting that arriving on schedule is never a sure thing on sailboats. “We are very thankful that the Mexican Navy came out and looked for us last night”.
The ships were greeted by scores of Cubans, including government officials, chanting “long live the revolution!” and “down with imperialism!” Gerardo Hernandez, a former Cuban spy who served time in US prison, told the crowd: “They scared us a little because we kept wondering, ‘when will they get here?’”.
Aid Delivered Amid Deepening Crisis
The sailboats brought medicine, food, hygiene products and other essential supplies. They represent the final maritime shipments of the Our America Convoy, which has delivered more than 50 tonnes of medical supplies, food, water and solar panels to Cuba, with hospitals among the recipients.
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The first shipments from the 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, March 24, 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.
The aid arrives as Cuba faces one of its most severe crises in decades. Since January, the United States has imposed a de facto oil blockade after US forces seized Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, whose government had been Cuba’s principal source of fuel. President Donald Trump has also threatened tariffs on countries that ship oil to Cuba.
Cuba’s aging electricity system has been hit by regular blackouts, including two nationwide outages last week. On Friday, Trump renewed his threats against Havana, even as the US-Israeli war against Iran entered its second month, saying at an investment forum in Miami: “Cuba is next, by the way. But pretend I didn’t say that”.
Criticism and Solidarity
Cuban exiles in Miami and other critics have slammed the convoy as benefiting the communist government more than ordinary people. But Stumo framed the mission differently.
“We’re so happy to bring a crew from so many different countries that are demonstrating solidarity and support for the Cuban people in the face of this criminal blockade,” he told reporters.
“We arrive with a simple but powerful message: solidarity with the Cuban people doesn’t stop at borders. It crosses oceans,” Stumo said.
The identities and nationalities of the nine crew members have been partially disclosed, with reports indicating the group included American, French and German citizens, though Mexico’s Navy had also been in communication with rescue agencies in Poland. Officials have not released the names of all individuals aboard.
As of Sunday, March 29, the crew and their vessels are safely in Havana, and the final shipments of the Our America Convoy have been delivered.
SOURCES / INPUTS
Radio Habana Cuba: Cuban President expresses concern over missing vessels
The News International: Mexico search ends as missing sailboats carrying aid reach Cuba after weather delay
Radio Habana Cuba: Mexican Navy launches search for missing vessels carrying aid to Cuba
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