EXCLUSIVE: Cancun dive captain says experienced US marine biologists died in ‘tragic accident’ when ANOTHER company’s propellers ‘hit them in the head’ after rushing to the shipwreck instead of waiting their turn.
- An American man and woman, aged 65 and 60, were killed Friday while diving on Isla Mujeres, off the coast of Cancun.
- They dived to the shipwreck with Squalo Adventures, which has been operating on the island for 16 years.
- The two marine biologists were joined by two more divers and a divemaster.
- They were returning to their boat when a large boat belonging to Scuba Cancun arrived at the scene.
- Instead of waiting for Squalo divers to surface, the Scuba Cancun Mr. Tom swam over them.
- “Huge” propellers hit two Americans in the head, the owner of Squalo Adventures told .
- The two single Americans were “very experienced” divers – their families are now on the road.
Andres is the owner of a diving company with which two Americans dived. He told that another company’s vessel interrupted their dive and sailed overhead.
The owner of a Cancun scuba diving company responsible for the two Americans who died in the water in a propeller accident on Friday told that another company’s boat struck them in the head, killing them.
The identity of the two Americans has not yet been established, but it is assumed that they are a man and a woman, both single, aged 60 and 65.
can report that these were experienced divers and marine biologists with over 20 years of experience.
Their families are now on their way to Isla Mujeres and Cancun to collect their bodies.
The pair participated in a four-hour two-tank wreck dive in Isla Mujeres organized by Squalo Adventures.
The owner of the company, who identified himself as Andres, told that they were nearing the end of their dive and were using buoys to return to their boat when Mr. Tom, a larger vessel owned by Cancun-based Scuba Cancun, sailed overhead.
According to Andres, Mr. Tom’s propellers fatally hit two Americans on the head. Two other divers and the divemaster survived.
This boat, owned by Scuba Cancun, arrived at the shipwreck while the Americans were still in the water. Andres says his “huge” propellers hit two Americans in the head and killed them. Courtesy of Riviera Mayan News
The ship “Mr. Tom” was confiscated by the authorities of Isla Mujeres.
“It was a tragic incident,” Andres said on Saturday.
He added that there is an “international convention” among divers to wait at the dive site if another boat is already there to avoid such an accident, but Scuba Cancun ignored it.
Instead, they swam in a hurry, their propellers puffing through the water to disembark their divers.
Mexican media reports that Mr. Tom’s captain is now in custody. His name has not been given.
Andres was not on the dive, but his divemaster and two other surviving divers told him what had happened in horrifying detail.
“We were diving into a shipwreck…another big huge boat was passing by and it hit us.
“They didn’t take any precautions – we were alone there.
“The screws are very large – they hit two experienced divers in the head, and they did not survive. It killed them.
“They didn’t follow the rules, they just wanted to land their divers. They didn’t respect the territory
“When you dive, you have to wait in line. Everyone knows,” he added.
The Americans dived with Squalo Adventures, which has been operating on the island for 16 years.
This is the type of boat the Americans were returning on when a much larger boat passed over them and mortally wounded them.
Footage from the scene shows forensics working on one of the victims.
Andres has been running the center on Isla Mujeres for 16 years. He conducts various excursions with mask and snorkel.
The voyage, which included the Americans, was a four-hour dive to the wreck of the USS Harlequin, which the Mexican Navy sank in 1980 to create an artificial reef. Squalo sells the dive for $115 per person.
The company says on its website that the wreck is more suitable for experienced divers.
Scuba Cancun, which operates on the Cancun mainland, offers a four-hour dive to the shipwreck for just $77 per person.
This is the tour they were preparing to drop people off on Friday when the Americans were killed. It is not known how many people took part, but the Scuba Cancun website states that the event is for certified divers only.
Andres added that the two Americans were part of a large group that had been visiting Isla Mujeres for years.
The US Embassy in Cancun did not respond to inquiries on Saturday about what kind of consular assistance it provides.
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