Sonora sinks a 67-meter former ship for the artificial reef system SECTUR promotes for San Carlos

A 67-meter former ship, the Azueta, has been sunk in a controlled operation to become part of Sonora's artificial reef system for marine life and divers. Mexico's tourism ministry (SECTUR) said on October 27 that tourism secretary Josefina Rodríguez Zamora and Sonora's governor, Alfonso Durazo Montaño, led the sinking, and that the ship will join the system.

According to SECTUR, the Azueta is the 15th naval craft added to the Sonoran Artificial Reef System (Sistema Arrecifal Artificial Sonorense, or SAAS), a project that includes vessels and other vehicles. Its stated aims are to create habitats for marine life, attract visitors and generate economic activity.

What it adds for divers

SECTUR presents the reef system as a new attraction for diving, snorkeling and nature tourism in San Carlos, a Pueblo Mágico that, in the ministry's words, combines clear-water beaches, desert, mountains and food. Rodríguez Zamora described the reef system as "un producto turístico innovador," an innovative tourism product, and Durazo said it would help attract international visitors while protecting the sea.

The release does not say where the wreck lies, at what depth, when divers may visit it or what it costs.

The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), in its Mexico travel advice last updated October 20, 2026, and still current on October 29, says: "If you take part in adventure sports, including paragliding, skydiving, scuba diving and jet-skiing, be aware equipment may not meet UK safety and insurance standards. British nationals participating in these activities have been injured and, in some cases, killed. Check your travel insurance covers you for all your planned activities." It says to make sure the company you use "is reputable," "takes safety precautions," "uses up-to-date equipment" and "is fully licensed and insured."

What the travel advice says about Sonora

The FCDO does not include Sonora among the areas where it advises against all but essential travel. Its regional section says: "Drug-related violence affects the northern states of Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, Sinaloa and Durango." It adds: "Take extreme care outside tourist areas in all these states." For cities in the northern states, it says: "Travel during daylight hours when possible, tell relatives or friends of your travel plans and only use reputable hotels."

The U.S. State Department's travel advisory for Mexico, issued May 29, 2026, and still current on October 29, 2026, according to the State Department's data feed, says U.S. government employees "May not travel between cities after dark" and "May not drive between Mexican border cities and the interior of Mexico, with limited exceptions." It adds: "Due to security risks, U.S. citizens should follow the same restrictions as U.S. government employees while traveling." Its summary says "Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory."

A month after Hurricane Polo

SECTUR announced the sinking four weeks after a hurricane reached Sonora's coast. The U.S. National Hurricane Center's advisory at 8 a.m. MST on September 29 said Polo was about to make landfall near Guaymas, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h). By 2 p.m. it had weakened to a tropical storm as it moved farther inland. The eastern Pacific hurricane season runs until November 30, NHC says; our hurricane season guide explains how to follow the official warnings.