Tragic Watercraft Accident Claims Life in Bacalar Lagoon

BACALAR, Quintana Roo — A man lost his life in a watercraft accident that occurred on the Bacalar Lagoon on Tuesday afternoon. The incident took place after 4:00 p.m. at the Cocalitos Cenote. It remains unknown if the victims were tourists.

According to reports, a couple, who had apparently rented a watercraft to tour the lagoon, was involved in an accident. The man fell into the water, sank, and remained submerged for several hours. His body was eventually located and recovered. The woman was quickly assisted after the incident.

Witnesses at the scene promptly requested help from rescue teams and municipal authorities, who responded to the location. The woman was rescued within minutes; she was kept afloat while trying to stay alive and subsequently received medical attention. Her companion, however, was missing in the lagoon's crystalline waters.

A search operation was deployed, led by the Establecimiento Naval de Búsqueda y Rescate (ENSAR), or Naval Search and Rescue Establishment. Rescue teams utilized watercraft, vehicles, and a drone in the effort. Hours later, the body of the unfortunate man was located and brought to the surface. Paramedics, who had remained on standby, confirmed his death once the body was brought to shore.

Personnel from the Fiscalía General del Estado (FGE), the State Attorney General's Office, arrived to initiate an investigation file. The causes of the fatal accident are unknown; it is unclear if it resulted from a malfunction of the watercraft or from an error in maneuvering by the driver.

As the facts are being clarified, Servicios Periciales, or Forensic Services, performed the body removal. The body was transported to the facilities of the Servicio Médico Forense (SEMEFO), the Medical Forensic Service.