Crews Remove Fuel From Yacht Grounded on Mahahual Reef to Prevent Spill

Mahahual, Quintana Roo — Residents and environmentalists have joined efforts to strip fuel and other contaminants from the yacht Isla Caribe II, which has been stranded on a reef off this coastal town since Sunday.

The environmental group Aak Mahahual reported on its Facebook page that the vessel, which flies the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, is loaded with fuel and that someone took advantage of the situation to steal its main bow anchor, further complicating the salvage operation. No arrests have been reported.

Environmentalists, tourism service providers and local residents have been working alongside authorities to remove the toxic material, the group said.

After inspecting the grounding site, the group reported that no living coral colonies were visible, but that there is a heavy proliferation of algae linked to sargassum. The work has focused above all on heading off a fuel spill that could cause further damage to the marine ecosystem.

Aak Mahahual said the necessary paperwork is already being processed so that authorities can remove the vessel from the reef.

The yacht ran aground on the reef barrier roughly one nautical mile east of the port of Mahahual. The two men aboard — captain Louis Joliot Francois, a French national, and Benedikt Suykense Devos, a Belgian — were rescued. Both are naturalized Mexican citizens.