Riviera Maya, Q.R. — The head of the Ministry of Tourism says that two ships have arrived to help the coastal areas of the state deal with the sargasso.
Miguel Torruco Márques says that two navy ships have arrived, one being a scientific vessel and the other, for logistic support. Due to the amount of sargasso that has hit the coasts in recent days, the ships, which belong to the Navy of Mexico, are scheduled to begin work in the three areas considered priority.
The two ships will be anchored off the coast of Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Puerto Morelos. Since they are deep-draft vessels, they will not likely dock at any areas along the northern regions of the coast.
So far, there have not been any reports released detailing the work the vessels will conduct, only that they will begin with research.
According to the Sargasso Monitoring Network in Cancun, the areas most affected by the large quantities of sargassum are located in the center and south of the state. Satellite images warn of larger amounts arriving over the next several weeks.
Last week, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that the Navy will be responsible for creating a plan to deal with the sargasso issue along the Quintana Roo coast.
