Isla Mujeres, Q.R. — A beach sweeper removing seaweed from a section of Playa Norte at Isla Mujeres ran into a bit of trouble Wednesday. While the operator was maneuvering on the sand, the front half of his unit suddenly sunk.
The driver was able to get out and call for assistance, which involved the arrival of a larger tractor. The second unit arrived and was able to free the smaller sunken unit from the sand and water mixture.
Kerem Pinto Aguilar, director of the Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (ZOFEMAT) for Isla Mujeres, explained that the accident occurred while the operator was attending to the sargassum landfall in Playa Norte.
She said the driver approached the shore in an area that was silty, and while passing by the sargassum-covered head of sand, he began to sink and the current carried him.
There were no injuries in the early morning incident. Pinto Aguilar says that Zofemat personnel continues with its daily seaweed cleaning efforts along Isla Mujeres beaches.
