Two Separate Cuba-Destined Aid Sailboats Listed Missing after Setting Sail from Mexico.

A extensive search and rescue operation is actively ongoing in the Caribbean waters for two unlocated sailboats carrying aid cargo en route from the Mexican coast to the island of Cuba.

Maritime Search and Rescue Missions Deployed

Mexico has sent naval assets and search planes to find the two vessels, which were carrying at least 9 crew members, as stated by a official statement.

The vessels had been scheduled to reach the Cuban capital on either Tuesday or Wednesday, but there has been a complete lack of contact from them and no official word of their arrival, the navy said.

Context of Relief to Cuba

The island nation has relied heavily on aid convoys from Mexico over the last several weeks, as the country endures widespread nationwide blackouts.

"Both captains and crews are veteran seafarers, and each boat are equipped with suitable safety equipment and emergency beacons," a spokesperson for the convoy said.

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

"The group is collaborating completely with the officials and remain confident in the capability of the sailors to safely arrive in Havana," the official further stated.

Previous Aid Shipment

Just days before, the government in Havana publicly celebrated and greeted with fanfare another boat that had transported 14 tons of donated goods to the nation.

That ship, called "a modern Granma" after the yacht in which Fidel Castro returned to Cuba to begin the armed struggle in the 1950s, brought solar equipment, drugs, formula milk, cycles and foodstuffs.

Larger Political Context

Volunteers and NGOs have primarily led attempts to ship essential supplies to Cuba since January, coinciding with the time a energy blockade on the Communist-run nation was initiated.

Global bodies have since warned of ""severe" lack of essential goods, with more than 50,000 operations called off in Cuba amid electricity supply constraints.

Political pressure have been ramped up lately, with statements from several officials underscoring the delicate nature of relations.

Responding to certain proposals, a prominent Cuban official declared that "the socialist system of Cuba is not up for negotiation."

Accounts suggest that preliminary steps of negotiations were initiated, although their present status remains uncertain.

The naval forces said it was dedicated to using every available asset at its disposal to locate the vessels and secure the security of the sailors.

To date, there has been silence on the missing boats by the Cuban leadership.