A Pair of Cuba-Destined Aid Sailboats Declared Unaccounted For after Departing Mexican Waters.

A extensive rescue and recovery effort is currently under way in the Caribbean Sea for a duo of unlocated boats carrying humanitarian supplies traveling from Mexico to the island of Cuba.

Maritime Search and Rescue Efforts Launched

Mexico has deployed navy personnel and military search aircraft to search for the Friendship and Tigger Moth, which were transporting a minimum of 9 crew members, according to a official statement.

The vessels had been scheduled to reach the Cuban capital on the early part of the week, but there has been a complete lack of contact from them and zero verification of their docking, the statement clarified.

The Situation of Humanitarian Support to the Nation

The Caribbean nation has depended significantly on aid convoys from Mexico over the last several weeks, as the nation endures widespread nationwide blackouts.

"Both skippers and their teams are seasoned mariners, and each boat are outfitted with appropriate navigational gear and communication devices," an official involved in the effort commented.

The nine individuals on board are from Poland, France, Cuba and the US. Officials said it has established contact with coast guard agencies from the involved countries along with their embassy officials.

"Our team is co-operating fully with the officials and are still optimistic in the ability of the crews to reach Havana safely," the spokesperson added.

Earlier Humanitarian Delivery

Just days before, the Cuban authorities widely celebrated and officially received another boat that had carried 14 tons of relief supplies to the country.

That vessel, nicknamed "a new Granma" in reference to the yacht in which Fidel Castro landed in Cuba to launch the armed struggle in the 1950s, brought solar equipment, drugs, baby formula, cycles and food.

Wider Political Context

Charity groups and individuals have largely spearheaded attempts to deliver critical assistance to Cuba starting at the turn of the year, coinciding with the time a fuel embargo on the island nation came into effect.

Global bodies have since warned of ""severe" lack of essential goods, with more than fifty thousand operations called off in Cuba amid energy rationing.

Foreign policy pressure have been ramped up lately, with statements from various leaders highlighting the delicate nature of diplomatic ties.

In response to previous statements, a prominent Cuban official declared that "the governance model of Cuba is not up for negotiation."

Accounts suggest that preliminary steps of talks had begun, although their current progress remains not publicly known.

The Mexican navy stated it was dedicated to using all of the resources at its disposal to discover the boats and ensure the security of the people on board.

At this time, there has been silence on the lost ships by the government in Havana.