A white 45-foot Sea Ray Sundancer named Leemar vanished somewhere in the strait between Cuba and Isla Mujeres, and the maritime community on Mexico's Caribbean coast is still combing the water for it. The private yacht left Havana's Hemingway Marina in the early hours of November 6 with three people aboard, bound for Isla Mujeres off the coast of Cancún, but never showed up.
The Isla Mujeres Port Captaincy issued an official alert, notice CPIM-087/2026, asking every commercial, fishing and recreational vessel working the area to keep watch and report anything immediately. The three on board are captain Miguel Castro Gómez and crew members Valdemar Morales and Adrián Jacobo.
The crossing itself is a familiar one. Isla Mujeres sits roughly 130 to 150 kilometres from Cuba's north coast, and small private boats make the run between the two islands regularly, especially from the Hemingway Marina, which is a well-known jumping-off point for boaters heading to Mexico. But the strait between Cuba and the Yucatán is deceptively demanding for its short length: the Gulf Stream pushes through hard, weather can turn quickly, and the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season has kept the western Caribbean unsettled. Even experienced crews treat the route with respect.
For now there is no confirmation of debris, a distress call or any sign of where the vessel may have gone missing, which is why authorities are leaning on the eyes of local boaters. The Port Captaincy's notice is aimed squarely at the working fleet — fishing boats, ferries, charter operators and pleasure craft — that move through the corridor every day and are best placed to spot a drifting yacht or survivors.
If you're travelling in the region, this story matters mostly as context: ferry services between Cancún and Isla Mujeres continue to run normally, and the search is taking place offshore rather than around the island itself. But it's a blunt reminder of how serious the open-water stretch between Cuba and Mexico can be. Boaters planning a private crossing should file a float plan with port authorities on both sides, monitor weather forecasts closely, carry satellite communication and full safety kit, and reconsider timing if seas look rough. Charter and fishing trip customers, meanwhile, can take some comfort that the local fleet is unusually alert right now — every captain out there is watching the water.
Anyone with information on the Leemar or its crew is being urged to contact the Isla Mujeres Port Captaincy directly so the search can be narrowed down.
Story source: Riviera Maya News
