Two Cuba-bound Humanitarian Vessels Declared Unaccounted For subsequent to Setting Sail from Mexican Waters.
A extensive rescue and recovery effort is currently ongoing in the Caribbean waters for a pair of unlocated boats transporting aid cargo journeying from the Mexican coast to the island of Cuba.
Maritime Rescue Missions Deployed
Authorities in Mexico has deployed naval teams and reconnaissance aircraft to search for the missing boats, which were carrying a minimum of nine total sailors, per a official statement.
The boats had been projected to reach the Cuban capital on Tuesday or Wednesday, but there has been radio silence from them and no confirmation of their docking, the statement clarified.
The Situation of Aid to Cuba
The Caribbean nation has leaned on Mexico's over the past few weeks, as the nation grapples with widespread power outages across the country.
"Both crews and captains are experienced sailors, and the two ships are equipped with proper safety equipment and signalling equipment," a representative for the convoy stated.
The nine-person crew are nationals of Poland, France, Cuba and the US. Officials said it has opened communications with maritime rescue coordination centres from each country along with their consular staff.
"Our team is collaborating completely with the officials and remain confident in the capability of the sailors to reach Havana safely," the spokesperson added.
Earlier Aid Mission
Previously that week, the government in Havana warmly welcomed and greeted with fanfare another boat that had carried 14 tonnes of relief supplies to the island.
That ship, nicknamed "Granma 2.0" in reference to the yacht in which Fidel Castro came back to Cuba to launch the armed struggle in the 1950s, carried photovoltaic panels, medicines, infant formula, cycles and food.
Larger Geopolitical Backdrop
Volunteers and NGOs have largely spearheaded initiatives to ship essential supplies to Cuba since January, when a fuel embargo on the Communist-run nation came into effect.
The United Nations have since highlighted ""critical" lack of essential goods, with in excess of fifty thousand operations postponed in Cuba due to power shortages.
Diplomatic measures have increased lately, with comments from several leaders emphasizing the complex situation regarding relations.
Responding to certain comments, a high-ranking official from Cuba declared that "the political system of Cuba is not up for negotiation."
Accounts suggest that initial phases of discussions commenced, although their ongoing development remains uncertain.
The naval forces said it was dedicated to using the full extent of its capabilities at its disposal to discover the vessels and secure the safety of the people on board.
At this time, there has been no public statement on the disappeared vessels by the Cuban government.