Why Did US Issue Travel Warning For Playa Del Carmen, Mexico?

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico on Wednesday issued a travel alert barring government officials from visiting the Caribbean resort city of Playa del Carmen after last month's ferry explosion.

The U.S. Consular Agency in Playa del Carmen in the state of in Quintana Roo will be "closed until further notice," the embassy said in a message posted to its official website. Additionally, "U.S. Government employees are prohibited from traveling to Playa del Carmen."

The embassy said that it had received word of a "security threat" Wednesday but did not expound on the warning.

The news comes after an explosion occurred Feb. 21 on a ferry connecting Playa del Carmen with the town of Cozumel, which injured 26 people, the Associated Press reported. It remains unclear if the embassy issued the alert because of the incident.

The embassy announced a similar advisory that restricted government employees from using ferry service between Playa del Carmen and Cozumel Island after officials discovered another explosive device on a different ferry on March 1.

Still, Mexican officials on Thursday said that Playa del Carmen was safe despite the U.S. security warning.

"Police forces are working day and night to maintain the calmness of the residents and visitors of Quintana Roo," state governor Carlos Joaquín told El Universal newspaper, according to Time.

Conversely, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauret said in a statement that all travelers should check the U.S. Bureau of Consulate Affairs website before embarking on an international trip.

"In Mexico alone, we've issued a number of recent security alerts as soon as we received information that travelers should know," the statement read.

According to the embassy’s website, travelers should be "aware of their surroundings" and "exercise caution." The site also urged Mexican tourists to buy travel insurance that "specifically covers you in Mexico and includes medical evacuation insurance."