A extensive search and recovery effort is presently in progress in the Caribbean region for two lost boats carrying relief goods en route from Mexico to the island of Cuba.
Naval Search and Rescue Efforts Deployed
Authorities in Mexico has deployed naval assets and search planes to locate the Friendship and Tigger Moth, which were carrying no fewer than 9 crew members, according to a navy statement.
The boats had been expected to reach the Cuban capital on the early part of the week, but there has been a complete lack of contact from them and zero verification of their safe arrival, the statement clarified.
Background of Humanitarian Support to the Nation
Cuba has leaned on humanitarian shipments from Mexico over the last several weeks, as the nation grapples with widespread power outages across the country.
"The skippers and their teams are experienced sailors, and the two ships are equipped with appropriate safety systems and communication devices," an official associated with the mission stated.
The nine-person crew are from Poland, France, Cuba and the US. Mexico said it has established contact with coast guard agencies from the involved countries along with their consular staff.
"We are co-operating fully with the authorities and are still optimistic in the ability of the crews to reach Havana safely," the spokesperson added.
Recent Relief Delivery
Just days before, the Cuban government warmly welcomed and greeted with fanfare a different ship that had carried a significant amount of donated goods to the country.
That ship, nicknamed "a modern Granma" after the vessel in which Fidel Castro returned to Cuba to launch the revolution in the mid-20th century, delivered solar panels, medicines, formula milk, bikes and foodstuffs.
Wider Political Climate
Volunteers and NGOs have primarily led initiatives to bring essential supplies to Cuba since January, a period which saw a oil sanctions on the Communist-run nation was initiated.
The United Nations have since warned of "dire" shortages of supplies, with more than 50,000 surgeries postponed in Cuba amid electricity supply constraints.
Diplomatic tensions have intensified in recent months, with statements from several representatives emphasizing the complicated state of bilateral relations.
Reacting to recent statements, a high-ranking Cuban official declared that "the governance model of Cuba is non-negotiable."
Accounts suggest that early stages of talks had begun, although their current progress remains not publicly known.
The Mexican navy said it was committed to using all of the resources at its reach to discover the boats and guarantee the security of the crews.
As of now, there has been silence on the missing boats by the Cuban leadership.
