AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye BOATING ACCIDENT LEAVES TWO PEOPLE INJURED

One of my friends brought her grown son and his girl friend to my place several years ago. After sitting on the balcony several hours (where we watched the boat traffic) they decided to go for a swim. We wrongfully assumed they meant the pool.

They proceeded to dive off the sea wall (not a good idea - it is shallow) and start swimming straight out towards the reef. No amount of yelling got their attention. Their mom ran down the stairs, across the beach shedding clothes and dove in. Thank goodness she reached them before anyone was hurt.

DUH! They planned to swim to the reef. I hear WAY too many people complain about the amount of boat traffic. I ask them what they expected. They seem to think the sea is just for their pleasure. I don't know how to reach people who do not have any common sense.

I give up on people's thought process here. THE SEA SHOULD BE FOR TOURIST'S PLEASURE CLOSE TO SHORE. We are a tourist destination and our ONLY attraction is the sea and what's in it. Let people swim in the sea safely. Move the boats not the people.

Phil. I agree with you. The more lovely and safe sea that we have available to enjoy, the more people will want to come here.

I agree completely. Long gone are the days when San Pedro was a fishing village.

Today there's one and only one industry on Ambergris Caye, and that's tourism (along with support businesses like lodging, dining, transportation, tours, construction, etc.)

Not everyone likes what tourism represents, but as long as it feeds nearly everyone on the island, directly or indirectly, it has to be the island's priority, and tourists have to be taken care of.

--Lan Sluder

Port Says No Fault In Accident That Severed Tourist's Leg

Two weeks after a water taxi ran over two tourists snorkeling in waters off San Pedro, the Belize Port Authority has released its findings today about the unfortunate accident which left a tourist maimed.

According to the Port's findings, "the snorkelers were inadvertently swimming in an area, where vessels navigate, and the choppy seas at the time of the incident reduced visibility".

The release says that the Port Authority is working along with the BTB, and the San Pedro Town Council to improve safety and discuss measures aimed at preventing future accidents.

On Friday, September 16th, US citizens Rob and Dana Leonard were snorkeling at the south end of San Pedro, just off the Caribe Island resort pier, when a 38 foot water taxi, the MV My, captained by Anthony Everett ran over the couple. Rob Leonard's leg was severed by one of the boat's propellers, and his wife was slightly injured.

Channel 7

Port Says No Fault In Accident That Severed Tourist's Leg

I suspected that would be the case. The issue remains: How does one deter the unwary, the unintiated visitor from "inadvertanly" swimming into the "road"? I'll be interested to see if there is follow through on this topic.

I hope Mr Leonard is doing as well as can be expected.

Marty was an actual report released?

we were on a "tour" boat (with 16 people) returning from BC to AC in december 2010, round christmas time that had had steering trouble, and was therefore late, running in the dark, just after sunset , returning to AC. as he came in toward the beach south of where the taxi boats dock, our skipper went straight in toward the beach to drop someone off and was running at a high rate of speed - 30 MPH + thru an area of anchored boats. weaving in and out of the anchored boats. Anyone could have been swimming. I was sitting in the back and as he approached an anchored sailboat he cut the wheel to go seaward of the boat , then probably realized there was an anchor line so he cut the wheel back and went close across the stern of the sailboat hitting and running over a 10 ft or so wooden dingy tied to the sailboat. he pulled the throttles back as we hit and yelled "what happened", someone said to him "you ran over a boat"- he gave it full throttle and off we went - a guy on the stern of the sailboat was yelling at us as we left. I got my family (6 of us) off at the next stop, even tho we had to walk 1/8 to 1/4 mile to the water taxi area and pay full fare to get back to our hotel which was way north of the bridge (ride would have been free with "our original tour boat".
Regardless of the circumstances of the accident in this forum topic, I think many of the Belieze captains are cowboys. we also had the water taxi guys twice run wide open in the pouring rain AT NIGHT when you could not see well.

I live near a large lake. We have boating accidents all the time. There are general safe boating rules and People/Swimmers need to use common sense. We had a lady jump off a boat this spring during a busy boating day where boats were at a dock and had her arm cut off.

One new law that NC did recently is you can't drive a boat or jet ski until you are 26 unless you have taken a boating safety class.

I think more resorts should have a snorkeling area like Ramons and tourist should be given safety tips for the island in general.
I don't think any new rules or laws will change that accidents happen. I think all the island can do is try to educate the boat drivers, residents and tourist.
Mary

Another side to these boat accidents never seems to come to light.
The Boat captains feel horrible and the police, news and public immediately crucify them assuming their guilty, their licenses are suspended and threatened with jail.
I personally am angered when I pass stupid snorkelers in my boat who could be run over by me if i wasn't keeping a sharp eye out for the ignorance of others, knowing that if i hit one I could be jailed and my license revoked.I feel sorry for the poor captain and little sympathy for the tourist!

How about educating snorkelers about the importance of using a "diver down" flag when entering the water. A sign could be put on the end of the dock and snorkelers can then "swim at their own risk". I'm not saying that boaters are exempt from responsibility as I've seen them come way too close to the docks when traveling at high speeds. However, the diver down flag might have saved a few accidents from ever happening.