A small sargassum collection boat sank this week just off the coast of Playa del Carmen

Sargassum collection boat sinks after heavy rains due to the heavy rains the region has experienced over the past week. The Harbor Master’s Office reported that a sargassum vessel, belonging to the Secretary of the Navy (SEMAR) sank on June 15 at about 9:00 am.

“The vessel was incorporated into Operation Sargassum 2021, engaged in the collection of sargassum in shallow waters, having carried out a search pattern by surface and by dives with negative results,” reads the report issued by SEMAR.

The panga was one of many boats operating to collect and transport the masses of seaweed that have plagued the Riviera Maya coastline. The boat sank approximately 800 meters off the coast of Playa del Carmen after being inundated with water due to days of heavy rains. The Harbor Master reports that there were no injuries, and at the time of the statement, the boat remains submerged. It is unclear if the vessel will be recovered.