A maritime incident occurred on the evening of January 29, 2024, when a boat carrying 19 individuals, 17 tourists and two crew members among them, capsized in the waters between Cancún and Isla Mujeres, popular tourist spots in Quintana Roo, Mexico, situated on the Caribbean coast.
Tragically, four Mexican tourists, including a woman, two men, and a ten-year-old child, lost their lives in the accident.
The remaining passengers, all of Mexican nationality, were rescued from the water by the Mexican Navy and other local response units. Some were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The boat, christened as Diosa del Mar (Goddess of the Sea), was on its way back to Cancún from Isla Mujeres, where the passengers had visited a restaurant.
Initial investigations by authorities, including state attorney general Raciel López, are underway to determine if the boat was overloaded or if bad weather played a role in the accident. It was noted that the boat had a seating capacity of 16, but it was carrying 19 individuals at the time of the accident. The possibility of the boat being impacted by the wake of a larger vessel is also being examined. Significant safety concerns, such as adherence to passenger capacity and the use of life jackets, have been raised in the aftermath of the incident. The boat’s captain has been held for further questioning in the investigation process.
The narrow waterway between Isla Mujeres and Cancún is notorious for its high traffic, encompassing ferries, private leisure boats, and small charter vessels.
This region has been the site of numerous accidents in the past. In 2022, two American divers were killed in these waters when a dive boat sailed over them despite visible warning signals.
In 2018, an explosion on a passenger ferry at Playa del Carmen slightly injured around two dozen tourists, some of them foreigners.
In the year 2000, British singer Kirsty MacColl met a tragic end when she was hit by a boat propeller while diving at Cozumel, opposite Playa del Carmen.
In response to ongoing complaints, local authorities have put new regulations in place regarding boats anchoring off Playa Norte in Isla Mujeres.
These fresh regulations include the installation of a resistant buoy line to limit boat access to the popular beach zone and a fee for using mooring points along the 2,624-foot-long line. Signs have been installed to warn swimmers not to cross into the boat area and to caution boats against anchoring within 32.8 feet of the line. The harbor master’s office will keep a watchful eye on the area and impose penalties for violations.
