Two Cuba-bound Humanitarian Vessels Declared Unaccounted For subsequent to Leaving the Coast of Mexico.
A large-scale search and recovery operation is presently under way in the Caribbean region for two lost boats transporting relief goods journeying from Mexico to Havana.
Military Rescue Missions Deployed
Authorities in Mexico has dispatched navy personnel and search planes to find the missing boats, which were had on board no fewer than nine total personnel, according to a military release.
The ships had been expected to make landfall in Cuba's 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
The island nation has depended significantly on aid convoys from Mexico over the last several weeks, as the nation struggles through widespread power outages across the country.
"The skippers and their teams are seasoned mariners, and each boat are outfitted with proper safety equipment and signalling equipment," an official associated with the mission said.
The nine crew members are nationals of France, Poland, the United States, and Cuba. Mexico said it has been in touch with coast guard agencies from those nations along with their diplomatic representatives.
"We are collaborating completely with the relevant authorities and are still optimistic in the capability of the sailors to safely arrive in Havana," the statement continued.
Previous Humanitarian Mission
Just days before, the government in Havana widely celebrated and warmly received a separate vessel that had carried 14 tonnes of humanitarian aid to the island.
That boat, called "a new Granma" after the yacht in which Castro came back to Cuba to start the Cuban Revolution in the mid-20th century, brought solar equipment, drugs, baby formula, cycles and food.
Larger Geopolitical Context
Volunteers and NGOs have primarily led initiatives to bring humanitarian aid to Cuba beginning in January, coinciding with the time a fuel embargo on the island nation came into effect.
The United Nations have since warned of ""critical" shortages of supplies, with in excess of fifty thousand operations called off in Cuba due to energy rationing.
Political pressure have been ramped up in recent months, with remarks from various representatives highlighting the delicate state of diplomatic ties.
In response to recent statements, a senior official from Cuba insisted that "the political system of Cuba is non-negotiable."
Indications suggest that preliminary steps of discussions commenced, although their present status remains unclear.
The naval forces stated it was dedicated to using the full extent of its capabilities at its disposal to find the sailboats and secure the security of the people on board.
As of now, there has been no official comment on the lost ships by the government in Havana.
