Two boats carrying humanitarian aid from Mexico to Cuba have disappeared in the Caribbean Sea, leaving nine crew members missing and prompting an urgent search effort.

The vessels, Friendship and Tiger Moss, departed from a southeastern Mexican port on March 20, transporting food and other relief supplies to Cuba, where a worsening economic crisis has increased reliance on foreign aid.

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They were expected to arrive in Havana between March 24 and 25. However, the ships never reached port and stopped communicating, with no distress signals reported.

The nine crew members on board — from Poland, France, Cuba and the United States — have not been heard from since. The aid mission was organized by private groups, not governments, and those involved say the crews were experienced and the vessels properly equipped.

Mexican authorities have launched a search operation along the ships’ expected route, deploying helicopters to scan the area. So far, no confirmed sightings have been reported.

The disappearance comes as Cuba faces severe economic strain, worsened by tightened U.S. sanctions. Fuel shortages and aging infrastructure have led to widespread power outages, disrupting daily life across the island.

In recent weeks, Mexico has increased humanitarian shipments to Cuba, sending supplies as part of regional support efforts. The missing boats were part of that broader aid push.

The Cuban government has not issued an official statement on the incident even as the search continues and the fate of the vessels and their crews remains unknown.