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A scary incident took place earlier this week south of the shores of Los Cabos. This past Monday, May 9th, a tourist boat traveling with 14 tourists and 11 crew members ran aground near Socorro Island. The incident left everybody on the ship stranded for a short period of time.
Details of the incident
The sixth Naval region of the Mexican Navy was called upon on Monday to help rescue a tourist boat that ran aground near Socorro Island. There was a call for help from the ship “Socorro Vortex”, located in the Revillagigedo Archipelago National park. The national park is located 250 miles south of the Baja California peninsula in the Pacific Ocean.
After the call, they immediately started a search and rescue mission. The Mexican Naval Maritime Search, Rescue, and Surveillance station (Ensar) immediately deployed a Defender-type vessel to find the group.
The search and rescue team located a life raft with members of the tourist boat near Caleta El Barquito Bay. They were all transferred to Isla Socorro Naval Sector, where they performed a medical evaluation on all 14 tourists and 11 crew members. Of the people aboard, there were 7 American tourists, 3 of Belgian nationality, 2 British, and one from Ireland and New Zealand involved in the accident.
According to reports, there were no serious injuries to anybody on board. Tourists were all treated and released back in San Jose del Cabo.
The company of the tourist boat was contacted about the incident immediately. It is still unknown what caused the ship to run aground near the island, said authorities.
There will be an investigation into what went wrong that made the boat run aground. Officials aren’t sure if weather played a factor in the boat grounding. Local officials said they would review the response time and see if there was anything they could have handled differently as well.
Incidents across Los Cabos
Since the start of the year, Los Cabos has seen more tourists visiting than ever before. With the added visitors come many positives for the area, but also added chances for unfortunate incidents. Earlier this week, tragedy struck the area when two young women lost their lives when they drowned off a beach on the tourist corridor.
There have also been deaths attributed to snorkeling and scuba diving accident separately. An American spring breaker also lost his life in March from a fall near a hotel. While all incidents can’t be stopped, Los Cabos officials realize it’s a chance to make sure they are doing what they can to help keep visitors safe. Luckily for everyone involved, this incident involving the tourist boat running aground did not result in any loss of life or serious injuries.
Los Cabos boat trips
When traveling to Los Cabos there are countless activities to keep you entertained during the trip. One of the most popular is the different boat trips available. Among the different boat trips, the trip to Revillagigedo Archipelago National park is one of the most unique. The national park is North America’s largest fully protected marine reserve.
It is often referred to as a divers paradise because of the unique wildlife surrounding the island. It is home to over 360 species of fish and a gathering spot for migrating sharks, whales, and sea turtles. Revillagigedo is one of the most unique spots on earth. The location of the park is also unique; being 250 miles away from the Baja Peninsula tip, it takes more than a single day trip to get there and back.
