Two Separate Cuba-Headed Humanitarian Ships Listed Unaccounted For after Departing Mexican Waters.
A comprehensive rescue and recovery effort is currently in progress in the Caribbean waters for a pair of unlocated sailboats transporting aid cargo traveling from Mexico to Havana.
Naval Search and Rescue Efforts Launched
The Mexican government has deployed navy personnel and search planes to locate the two vessels, which were had on board a minimum of nine sailors, as stated by a official statement.
The ships had been scheduled to arrive in the Cuban capital on either Tuesday or Wednesday, but there has been no communication from them and no confirmation of their docking, authorities reported.
The Situation of Aid to the Island
Cuba has relied heavily on humanitarian shipments from Mexico over the last several weeks, as the nation endures widespread nationwide blackouts.
"Both crews and captains are veteran seafarers, and the two ships are fitted with suitable navigational gear and communication devices," an official involved in the effort stated.
The nine crew members are citizens of Poland, France, Cuba and the US. Mexican authorities said it has established contact with maritime rescue coordination centres from those nations along with their embassy officials.
"Our team is co-operating fully with the relevant authorities and remain confident in the ability of the crews to make it to Cuba without incident," the official further stated.
Earlier Aid Shipment
Just days before, the Cuban government widely celebrated and warmly received another boat that had carried 14 tonnes of humanitarian aid to the nation.
That ship, dubbed "a modern Granma" following the name of the yacht in which Fidel Castro landed in Cuba to launch the Cuban Revolution in the 1950s, brought solar panels, pharmaceuticals, formula milk, cycles and food.
Larger International Backdrop
Volunteers and NGOs have largely spearheaded efforts to bring humanitarian aid to Cuba starting at the turn of the year, when a fuel embargo on the country came into effect.
Global bodies have since raised alarms about "dire" lack of essential goods, with more than 50,000 surgical procedures postponed in Cuba amid energy rationing.
Political tensions have intensified over the past months, with statements from several officials highlighting the complex situation regarding relations.
Reacting to recent proposals, a senior Cuban official declared that "the socialist system of Cuba is not subject to discussion."
Indications suggest that initial phases of talks commenced, although their current progress remains unclear.
The naval forces said it was committed to using every available asset at its reach to discover the sailboats and ensure the security of the sailors.
As of now, there has been no public statement on the missing boats by the government in Havana.