Accidents & Disasters

On Thursday, September 19th, the San Pedro Police Formation received a report of an adult male falling from the fourth floor of a building located north of San Pedro Town. Upon arrival, police officers discovered the lifeless body of a Hispanic male identified as 45-year-old Belizean construction worker Abisur Loza from Patachakan Village, Corozal District. Medical assistance was quickly called to the site, but unfortunately, nothing could be done for Loza as he had succumbed to his injuries following the fatal fall.

An electrical pole collapsed in downtown San Pedro on Sunday, September 22nd. Nearby motorists shared images of the fallen pole next to a popular supermarket. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident, although it reportedly narrowly missed pedestrians and some vehicles. However, the incident caused power outages in some regions of the island. Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) personnel quickly responded to the incident, and residents said power was restored to some affected areas shortly after.

Two training sessions were recently held in the Cayes to provide comprehensive training in disaster management, focusing on preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation for natural disasters impacting the islands. The first session was held at the Caye Caulker Village Council Meeting Hall on Thursday, August 29th, from 6PM to 9PM, and the second session took place on August 30th at the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) San Pedro Command Centre, from 9AM to 2 M. The main goal of these sessions was to equip participants with skills to assess properties after natural disasters, determine damage levels, and promote disaster preparedness.

The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) is the primary government agency responding to natural disasters and distributing humanitarian aid following the aftermath of events like a hurricane. In areas like Ambergris Caye, supplies sometimes need to be transported from the mainland, which can take additional time. Area Representative Honorable Andre Perez shared that proactive measures are being taken to address this inconvenience. Containers are being secured for both Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye to house emergency equipment and supplies. Perez said this is a temporary plan as the main goal is to build or find a structure to operate as a permanent NEMO warehouse on Ambergris Caye.

Following an unfortunate incident in which a shark severely injured a 15-year-old American student visiting from Colorado while on a scuba diving trip in Belize, the family has launched a GoFundMe page, https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-annabelles-brave-recovery-journey. The unimaginable encounter happened on August 6th off Half Moon Caye when the teenager, after completing her dive, decided to jump back in the water for a swim. Even though she was immediately assisted by tour company members and taken to a Belize Coast Guard base, other divers partaking in the trip noted a lack of appropriate resources when handling such emergencies. To be better prepared, they urge more training for the staff handling the tours and recommend getting a better first aid kit.

On Tuesday, August 6, 2024, an incident occurred in which a 15-year-old American tourist, was attacked by a shark while participating in a dive tour at Half Moon Caye in the Lighthouse Reef Atoll. This unfortunate event occurred at approximately 11:30AM when the minor re-entered the sea after a dive.

The recent death of 68-year-old American tourist Robert Monroe Hughes while on a diving tour off San Pedro, Ambergris Caye's coast on June 14th, has left many still searching for answers. While no postmortem reports were shared, the police briefly reported that no foul play was suspected, and no abnormalities were found in the diving equipment. Since the incident, some tour operators have weighed in, emphasizing that safety is a top priority when taking guests on a diving tour.

On Wednesday, July 24th, a search team composed of the San Pedro Police Formation, the Belize Coast Guard, Rickilee Response and Rescue (RRR), and other volunteers headed to Secret Beach just after 8PM following reports of a missing Belizean couple who had been on a jet ski. They were last seen on the jet ski around 4:45PM. Against the odds of darkness, the rescue team was able to locate the couple and bring them to safety. Both were taken for medical evaluation and were reported to be in good health.