2 sailboats carrying aid to Cuba missing in Caribbean with 9 aboard

Mexico’s Navy is searching for two sailboats carrying humanitarian aid to Cuba after they went missing in the Caribbean with nine people on board.

The two vessels departed from Isla Mujeres, off Mexico’s Caribbean coast near Cancun, on March 20 and were expected to reach Havana between March 24 and March 25. Mexico’s Navy said Thursday there has been no communication with either boat and no confirmation that they arrived in Cuba.

Mexico activated its maritime search-and-rescue plan after the vessels were reported overdue. Surface vessels and aircraft have been deployed along the estimated route between Isla Mujeres and Havana.

The Navy said it is in contact with maritime rescue coordination centers in Cuba, the United States, Poland and France, along with shipping agents and diplomatic representatives linked to the nationalities of the people on board.

Authorities also appealed to commercial, fishing and recreational vessels operating in the Caribbean and the Gulf to report any sighting or information related to the missing sailboats.

Mexican officials did not release the names of the vessels or the identities of the people on board.