Texas tourist drowns in Cancun

CANCUN, Q.R. – Another tragic drowning occurred in the tourist resort of Cancun when an American tourist died over the weekend after being swept away by strong sea currents.

According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office (Ministerio Público del Fuero Común), the man was identified as Christopher Shepherd, 36, of Lubbock, Texas.

Officials from the State Judicial Police interviewed a relative who said Mr. Shepherd was swimming with family on Saturday Feb. 20 when he encountered a strong wave that took him away from the shoreline. The family was swimming along the beach outside their hotel at Gran Caribe Real in Cancun.

A witness to the event saw that Mr. Shepherd was in trouble and ran to the hotel for assistance. Staff from the hotel rushed to the beach and were able to pull the victim from the water while other hotel staff called for an ambulance. Mr. Shepherd was rushed to nearby Hospiten with vital signs, but died shortly after.

Mr. Shepherd was the third drowning death along Cancun beaches in one week. Over the past week, a 21-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man also died from drowning along Cancun beaches. Local lifeguards say they average 15 swimming emergencies per day.

Source: riviera-maya-news.com