A Pair of Cuba-Headed Relief Sailboats Reported Lost after Setting Sail from the Coast of Mexico.

A extensive rescue and recovery effort is actively under way in the Caribbean waters for a pair of missing boats loaded with relief goods journeying from Mexico to Cuba.

Maritime Rescue Missions Initiated

Mexico has sent naval assets and military search aircraft to locate the two vessels, which were carrying at least nine total crew members, per a military release.

The ships had been projected to make landfall in Havana on either Tuesday or Wednesday, but there has been radio silence from them and zero verification of their docking, the navy said.

The Situation of Humanitarian Support to Cuba

The island nation has relied heavily on humanitarian shipments from Mexico over the last several weeks, as the nation endures widespread power outages across the country.

"Both skippers and their teams are experienced sailors, and both vessels are fitted with appropriate safety systems and communication devices," an official associated with the mission said.

The nine-person crew are nationals of Poland, France, Cuba and the US. Mexico said it has been in touch with maritime rescue coordination centres from those nations along with their diplomatic representatives.

"We are collaborating completely with the authorities and are still optimistic in the crews' ability to reach Havana safely," the statement continued.

Previous Humanitarian Mission

Earlier in the week, the Cuban authorities warmly welcomed and greeted with fanfare a separate vessel that had delivered a significant amount of donated goods to the island.

That ship, nicknamed "Granma 2.0" in reference to the yacht in which the revolutionary leader returned to Cuba to launch the Cuban Revolution in the 1950s, brought photovoltaic panels, medicines, infant formula, cycles and food.

Larger International Backdrop

Volunteers and NGOs have largely spearheaded attempts to ship humanitarian aid to Cuba since January, when a energy blockade on the country was initiated.

International organizations have since raised alarms about ""severe" shortages of supplies, with more than fifty thousand surgeries called off in Cuba because of power shortages.

Political pressure have increased in recent months, with comments from different officials highlighting the complex situation regarding diplomatic ties.

In response to recent proposals, a senior official from Cuba declared that "the political system of Cuba is non-negotiable."

Indications suggest that preliminary steps of discussions had begun, although their ongoing development remains unclear.

The naval forces stated it was dedicated to using all of the resources at its disposal to locate the boats and ensure the security of the people on board.

As of now, there has been no public statement on the missing boats by the government in Havana.