Two Separate Cuba-Headed Humanitarian Ships Declared Lost following Setting Sail from Mexican Waters.

A large-scale search and rescue operation is presently under way in the Caribbean region for a duo of missing sailing vessels loaded with aid cargo journeying from the Mexican coast to Cuba.

Military Search Efforts Launched

The Mexican government has sent navy personnel and search planes to search for the two vessels, which were had on board at least 9 sailors, per a official statement.

The ships had been projected to make landfall in Cuba's capital on the early part of the week, but there has been a complete lack of contact from them and no official word of their arrival, the navy said.

Background of Humanitarian Support to Cuba

The Caribbean nation has leaned on humanitarian shipments from Mexico over the last several weeks, as the nation struggles through widespread power outages across the country.

"Both captains and crews are seasoned mariners, and the two ships are fitted with proper safety systems and signalling equipment," an official associated with the mission commented.

The nine individuals on board are citizens of Poland, France, Cuba and the US. Officials said it has established contact with maritime rescue coordination centres from each country along with their embassy officials.

"Our team is working closely with the authorities and remain confident in the crews' ability to safely arrive in Havana," the statement continued.

Previous Humanitarian Shipment

Earlier in the week, the government in Havana warmly welcomed and warmly received a separate vessel that had delivered 14 tonnes of donated goods to the country.

That boat, nicknamed "a modern Granma" following the name of the vessel in which Fidel Castro returned to Cuba to launch the revolution in the 1950s, carried solar equipment, drugs, baby formula, bikes and foodstuffs.

Broader Political Context

Volunteers and NGOs have primarily led attempts to ship critical assistance to Cuba beginning in January, when a fuel embargo on the island nation was initiated.

The United Nations have since warned of "dire" lack of essential goods, with more than 50k surgical procedures cancelled in Cuba amid power shortages.

Political tensions have been ramped up lately, with statements from various leaders highlighting the complicated nature of diplomatic ties.

Reacting to recent comments, a high-ranking official from Cuba stated firmly that "the governance model of Cuba is non-negotiable."

Accounts suggest that early stages of negotiations were initiated, although their ongoing development remains unclear.

The maritime authorities affirmed it was committed to using every available asset at its reach to discover the boats and secure the well-being of the sailors.

At this time, there has been no official comment on the lost ships by the Cuban government.