A Pair of Cuba-Headed Humanitarian Sailboats Listed Lost after Setting Sail from Mexico.

A comprehensive search and recovery mission is currently in progress in the Caribbean Sea for a duo of unlocated sailboats loaded with humanitarian supplies traveling from Mexico to the island of Cuba.

Naval Search and Rescue Operations Deployed

Authorities in Mexico has dispatched navy personnel and search planes to find the Friendship and Tigger Moth, which were carrying a minimum of 9 personnel, per a military release.

The vessels had been scheduled to arrive in Cuba's capital on the early part of the week, but there has been radio silence from them and no confirmation of their arrival, authorities reported.

Context of Relief to the Nation

Cuba has leaned on humanitarian shipments from Mexico over the past few weeks, as the island endures repeated power outages across the country.

"The crews and captains are seasoned mariners, and each boat are fitted with proper navigational gear and emergency beacons," an official involved in the effort said.

The nine-person crew are nationals of Poland, France, Cuba and the US. Mexico said it has opened communications with maritime rescue coordination centres from the involved countries along with their diplomatic representatives.

"The group is collaborating completely with the relevant authorities and continue to be hopeful in the crews' ability to make it to Cuba without incident," the spokesperson added.

Recent Humanitarian Mission

Previously that week, the Cuban government publicly celebrated and officially received a separate vessel that had carried a significant amount of humanitarian aid to the country.

That ship, called "Granma 2.0" following the name of the boat in which the revolutionary leader returned to Cuba to begin the revolution in the mid-20th century, brought photovoltaic panels, drugs, baby formula, bikes and food.

Larger Political Backdrop

Non-governmental organizations and volunteers have largely spearheaded efforts to ship humanitarian aid to Cuba starting at the turn of the year, a period which saw a fuel embargo on the country was initiated.

International organizations have since highlighted "dire" supply shortages, with in excess of 50,000 surgical procedures postponed in Cuba because of energy rationing.

Foreign policy measures have been ramped up in recent months, with remarks from several representatives highlighting the delicate situation regarding bilateral relations.

In response to previous statements, a high-ranking official from Cuba declared that "the governance model of Cuba is not subject to discussion."

Indications suggest that preliminary steps of discussions were initiated, although their ongoing development remains unclear.

The Mexican navy affirmed it was committed to using every available asset at its reach to discover the sailboats and guarantee the safety of the crews.

To date, there has been no public statement on the lost ships by the Cuban government.