Two Separate Cuba-bound Humanitarian Ships Listed Lost after Departing Mexico.

A large-scale rescue and recovery effort is currently in progress in the Caribbean waters for a pair of missing boats loaded with humanitarian supplies traveling from Mexico to the island of Cuba.

Naval Search and Rescue Operations Initiated

Mexico has sent naval teams and military search aircraft to find the two vessels, which were carrying at least nine total sailors, according to a military release.

The boats had been projected to make landfall in Cuba's capital on Tuesday or Wednesday, but there has been no communication from them and no confirmation of their safe arrival, authorities reported.

The Situation of Humanitarian Support to the Island

The Caribbean nation has relied heavily on aid convoys from Mexico over the past few weeks, as the island struggles through widespread nationwide blackouts.

"Both crews and captains are experienced sailors, and the two ships are equipped with proper navigational gear and signalling equipment," an official associated with the mission said.

The nine crew members are citizens of the United States, Cuba, France, and Poland. Officials said it has opened communications with coast guard agencies from those nations along with their diplomatic representatives.

"We are co-operating fully with the authorities and remain confident in the crews' ability to safely arrive in Havana," the statement continued.

Previous Relief Delivery

Previously that week, the government in Havana publicly celebrated and greeted with fanfare a different ship that had transported 14 tonnes of relief supplies to the nation.

That ship, nicknamed "a new Granma" following the name of the yacht in which Castro landed in Cuba to start the revolution in the mid-20th century, delivered solar panels, pharmaceuticals, baby formula, bikes and food.

Wider Political Climate

Non-governmental organizations and volunteers have been at the forefront of attempts to ship essential supplies to Cuba starting at the turn of the year, a period which saw a fuel embargo on the country came into effect.

International organizations have since warned of "dire" supply shortages, with over 50k operations postponed in Cuba because of energy rationing.

Political measures have been ramped up lately, with remarks from several leaders highlighting the complex situation regarding diplomatic ties.

Reacting to previous comments, a senior official from Cuba insisted that "the socialist system of Cuba is not subject to discussion."

Indications suggest that initial phases of talks commenced, although their current progress remains not publicly known.

The naval forces said it was dedicated to using all of the resources at its command to discover the boats and guarantee the well-being of the sailors.

To date, there has been no official comment on the lost ships by the Cuban leadership.