Two Separate Cuba-bound Aid Vessels Reported Unaccounted For subsequent to Departing the Coast of Mexico.
A extensive rescue and recovery effort is actively under way in the Caribbean Sea for a pair of missing sailing vessels carrying humanitarian supplies en route from the Mexican coast to the island of Cuba.
Military Rescue Operations Launched
Mexico has dispatched naval teams and search planes to locate the missing boats, which were transporting a minimum of 9 personnel, as stated by a navy statement.
The vessels had been scheduled to arrive in Havana on Tuesday or Wednesday, but there has been no communication from them and no confirmation of their arrival, the navy said.
Background of Humanitarian Support to the Island
The Caribbean nation has relied heavily on aid convoys from Mexico over the last several weeks, as the country endures multiple national electricity failures.
"Both skippers and their teams are seasoned mariners, and each boat are equipped with suitable safety equipment and communication devices," an official associated with the mission stated.
The nine individuals on board are citizens of France, Poland, the United States, and Cuba. Officials said it has opened communications with coast guard agencies from each country along with their embassy officials.
"The group is co-operating fully with the relevant authorities and are still optimistic in the capability of the sailors to safely arrive in Havana," the statement continued.
Earlier Humanitarian Shipment
Previously that week, the government in Havana widely celebrated and greeted with fanfare another boat that had transported 14 tons of relief supplies to the island.
That ship, dubbed "a modern Granma" after the yacht in which Fidel Castro came back to Cuba to begin the armed struggle in the 1950s, carried solar equipment, medicines, baby formula, bikes and food.
Larger Political Backdrop
Volunteers and NGOs have been at the forefront of attempts to deliver humanitarian aid to Cuba beginning in January, coinciding with the time a fuel embargo on the island nation came into effect.
International organizations have since warned of ""severe" supply shortages, with in excess of 50k surgical procedures called off in Cuba due to power shortages.
Foreign policy measures have been ramped up over the past months, with remarks from different representatives highlighting the complex state of diplomatic ties.
Reacting to recent statements, a high-ranking official from Cuba stated firmly that "the socialist system of Cuba is non-negotiable."
Indications suggest that preliminary steps of talks commenced, although their ongoing development remains unclear.
The Mexican navy stated it was pledged to using all of the resources at its reach to find the vessels and secure the security of the crews.
At this time, there has been no public statement on the lost ships by the Cuban leadership.