It's just done poorly very often and shoehorned into situations it doesn't belong.

There may be some prudish people but I'm not offended if I read an out of place sex scene, I'm just a little bored.

We live in a world with the internet and anything sexy directly at your fingertips. Incorporating a sex scene just because has lost it's relevance and steaminess.

Different strokes (huehuehue) for different folks.

If I or my wife just learned a family member was missing we would not be in a sexy mood, so the example given seems pretty alien to me.

It always kills the pacing when a story pauses the plot for a forced romance scene

Maybe it's because I grew up in the bible belt but I always felt like HBO's sex scenes are just there for repressed people.

Like people who told me porn was a sin growing up love some GoT and loved Harlequin romance novels.

These "culturally approved" sex scenes must be super enticing to someone who doesn't allow themselves to have another outlet.

I think the key that makes your example work is that the romantic partners can't be a victim of the tragedy that is currently occuring.