Dozens of volunteers responded to the local town hall’s call to “The First Simultaneous Cleansing of Cancun Beaches” on Saturday (June 28).

The massive cleaning operation took place on at least six beaches along 12 km of the Caribbean coast, and included members of the tourism sector, students, the Navy, and the National Guard, according to authorities.

The mayor of Benito Juarez, the municipality that includes Cancun, Ana Patricia Peralta de la Pena, was also present.

Researchers from the Mexico’s Autonomous National University (UNAM) warned some 100,000 tones could arrive in the Mexican Caribbean this year.

Sargassum has been present for hundreds of years in the Atlantic Ocean, with the first historic reports dating back to Christopher Columbus. It has indirect consequences for human health when it decomposes as it releases ammonia, methane, and sulfuric acid, the UNAM informed.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

CANCUN, MEXICO (JUNE 28, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) (MUTE)

1. VARIOUS OF DRONE FOOTAGE SHOWING VOLUNTEERS CLEANING BEACH, SEAWEED IN SEA

2. VOLUNTEERS DRAGGING DRY SEAWEED FROM SEA

CANCUN, MEXICO (JUNE 28, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all)

3. VOLUNTEERS WORKING IN SAND

4. VOLUNTEERS COLLECTING SEAWEED WITH BOXES IN SEA

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CANCUN MAYOR, ANA PATRICIA PERALTA DE LA PENA, SAYING:

“The sargassum is a challenge, a challgenge. It’s true we already have expertise, but we keep learning every day about this macroalgae – when it comes, if there’s a natural phenomenon such as a cyclone in any zone, suddenly there are some diversions and then more arrives. So here the goal of all Cancun residents is to have this information, to be aware of that and collect sargassum in different ways.”

6. VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF THE NAVY DEPLOYED IN BEACH CLEANING SEAWEED

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DEPUTY LIEUTENANT OF INFANTRY FROM THE MEXICAN ARMY, ANTONIO DE JESUS PEREZ, SAYING:

“This is a yearly situation but this year we’ve seen it worse, so it’s important to invite society to come and join us to clean the beaches.”

8. VOLUNTEERS FILTERING SEAWEED FROM SAND

9. MEMBERS OF THE NAVY MOVING BOXES WITH SEAWEED FROM SEA

10. VARIOUS OF TRACTOR MOVING ALONG BEACH

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CANCUN RESIDENT, TERESA ADZUL, SAYING:

“We’ve seen the news that our beaches are dirty so we came to help the governor and the people.”

12. (MUTE) VARIOUS OF DRONE FOOTAGE SHOWING VOLUNTEERS CLEANING BEACH