American Man Dies Snorkeling In Cozumel

Last Updated 3 years ago

Heart Attack Was The Expected Cause Of Death

An elderly American man tragically lost his life while snorkeling near Cozumel on Wednesday. A heart attack was announced as the probable cause of death.

The incident took place in the Northern end of Cozumel after a body was reported as floating lifeless in the water. The initial report was deemed incorrect as the emergency services that responded to the call were unable to locate the body. However, another call later in the day reported a similar incident, which resulted in the successful retrieval of the deceased.

According to those that found him, his extremities had turned purple, prompting suggestions of a heart attack while he snorkeled, although the exact cause of death will be confirmed after an autopsy. 

Assuming that the initial report was the same man, the body floated in the ocean for almost ten miles before being retrieved at Barracuda Beach. The retrieval was a collaborative effort between the C5 security services, the Navy, and the local lifeguards in the area.

Later that day, after the initial announcement, a 68-year-old woman from New Mexico arrived at the emergency services headquarters in Puerto de Abrigo and suggested that the man may have been her husband. According to the woman, her husband had left their room early on Wednesday morning to go snorkeling and had not returned. She was then sent to the morgue to identify the body.

The couple had arrived in Cozumel just two days earlier for a relaxing vacation and he had been out the previous day doing a similar activity. It is unclear how long he had been dead when found.

The death is the next in a slew of tragic sea-related incidents in the Quintana Roo region. Although this time there was no suggestion that the man was endangering himself, other incidents have shown swimmers to be careless of the warning signals displayed on the beach.

The weather has been having a dangerous effect on the beaches around Cancun and other parts of the state, with the red flag being flown on multiple occasions over the Easter period. A red flag suggests that the currents are strong or waves are potentially dangerous for swimmers. Regardless, many are still entering the water and finding themselves in danger.

The government of Cancun already increased the lifeguard presence in the area after a particularly sad day last week saw two beachgoers die in one afternoon. The second death, a middle-aged man, could have been one of several. In this instance, as many as ten people were struggling in the water. Beachgoers were seen forming human chains to help other swimmers while lifeguards pulled the lifeless body of the man out of the water. Resuscitation efforts failed and he was pronounced dead on the scene.

Accidents like this are bound to happen on any beach around the world, but the issue is exacerbated when tourists don’t heed the warnings. Mounting a rescue is dangerous even for those trying to help, and the lack of consideration of tourists should be condemned.

Lifeguards patrol the beaches from 9 AM until 6 PM every day and it is strongly advised that swimmers do not enter the water outside of that window. Swimmers are also advised to stay within 25 meters of the shoreline in case they are met with fatigue, cramp, or other problems and cannot be reached easily. Those who are not confident swimmers should never go to depths beyond a comfortable standing height. 

Those caught in riptides should learn how best to deal with the situation. Swimming parallel to the shore or allowing the current to take them out and then swimming parallel is the best way to get free of the pull. Most people who perish in a riptide do so because they panic and tire themselves out.

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