This Sunday, a 34-year-old British tourist fell from a balcony in the Moon Palace Hotel in Cancun, where he sustained a life-threatening head injury. Upon witnessing the incident, hotel staff contacted Cancun’s emergency services to take the victim to the nearby Galenia Hospital. The victim has since been transferred to the Cancun General Hospital after his injuries worsened overnight. Authorities are yet to confirm the height from which the foreigner fell.
The British tourist was on a late summer holiday with his wife when the accident occurred, leaving him in a coma with a serious head injury. Authorities believe the fall was accidental, but are thoroughly investigating the case to ensure there is no foul play at hand.
Until this week, Moon Palace have had no prior record of a similar tragic incident happening in their rooms: The all-inclusive resort, located near Puerto Morelos has been a family favourite in the region for some time. With its spacious rooms, luxurious spa facilities and dedicated children’s club, it’s easy to see why the resort is always booked up.
The hotel is also popular with honeymooners looking for the perfect post-wedding destination – but after the severity of this tourist’s injury, the reputation of the resort may be tainted significantly.
The resort has achieved numerous impressive accolades, including a four-diamond rating for its upscale amenities and outstanding service. The property was also awarded Trip Advisor’s Traveller’s Choice Award in 2021 for being one of the most popular hotels in the region.
Sadly, this is the second incident of a tourist being injured from falling from a hotel balcony in the last 9 days. On August 14th, a Mexican tourist died after falling from a fifth-floor balcony of the Tucancun hotel. Whilst the tourist’s vital signs were intact after the fall, he died on arrival at the hospital after succumbing to a serious head injury.
The Tucancun hotel also had multiple safety accolades, including a ‘Safe Travels’ seal of approval. However, in light of the tragic incident, there are fears that the safety levels of each hotel will be re-evaluated, potentially tarnishing an otherwise outstanding reputation.
In spite of the increase in balcony-related injuries in the past few weeks, the U.S Department of State has not issued a new travel advisory for Mexico. Cancun and the state of Quintana Roo have maintained their safety status with a Level 2 advisory, which means that visitors should continue to exercise ‘increased caution when travelling.
The U.S Department of State’s travel advisory updates tourists who are travelling in Mexico on potential dangers that could occur, ranging from drug-related gang violence to the outbreak of infectious diseases. It has yet to comment on unsafe hotel infrastructure, but tourists should still be wary of any potential risk hazards in their accommodation.
To prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future, hoteliers and authorities could place signage next to the balconies warning tourists of their height. The repetition of this incident could even lead some hotels and resorts to strengthen their balconies with safeguarding equipment, such as bars and safety netting. Doctors are currently doing everything in their power to save the life of the man, but it is unknown whether he will make a full recovery.
To avoid another incident like this occurring, authorities have reminded tourists and locals alike to be extra careful when relaxing on balconies and terraces high off the ground. Tourists should also avoid drinking large amounts of alcohol whilst on balconies and terraces, as being intoxicated could lead to another accident.
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