2 Mexican airports reopen amid unrest, but Canadians still advised to take caution

The airports in Culiacan and Mazatlan restarted operations Friday morning and a third remained closed as unrest continues in Sinaloa state following the arrest of a cartel leader.

Two airports in Mexico’s Sinaloa state reopened Friday after violence sparked by the arrest of an alleged cartel leader and drug trafficker this week grounded flights and stranded tourists, but Canadians are still being advised to avoid travel to the region if possible.

The airports in Culiacan and Mazatlan restarted operations at 10 a.m. local time, the local airport authority OMA reported and the federal government confirmed. Some flights between Canada and Mazatlan were still cancelled or delayed Friday, and the federal government warns flight schedules have changed as a result of Thursday’s closures and ongoing safety concerns.

Transport Canada advised “several flights” from Sunwing, Swoop and WestJet may still be affected by the unrest.

The airport in Las Mochis remains closed, the government’s latest travel advisory says. However, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, which manages the airport, said it expected operations to return late Friday afternoon.

The federal government continues to advise Canadians already in Sinaloa to shelter in place and limit their movements, as well as to avoid large crowds and demonstrations.

Several cities in the Mexican state of Sinaloa exploded into violence Thursday after the arrest of alleged drug trafficker Ovidio Guzman, who is a son of former cartel boss Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. The violence is particularly fierce in Culiacan, Mazatlan, Los Mochis and Guasave.

Fierce firefights between Mexican security officials and suspected members of the Sinaloa drug cartel in the streets of Culiacan and near that city’s airport have killed at least 30 people, authorities said Friday.

No civilians have been reported among the dead, which include a Culiacan policeman, 19 alleged gang members and 10 military personnel.