Cancún tourists rush to shelter as armed gang storms beach at luxury hotel
Staff and tourists near the Mexican resort city of Cancún have been sent rushing for shelter after a group of armed men entered the beach outside a luxury hotel and opened fire.
Two men were killed on Thursday in what state officials described as a confrontation between drug dealers at the Hyatt Ziva in Puerto Morelos, just south of Cancún.
“No tourists were seriously hurt or kidnapped,” said the security secretariat for the surrounding Quintana Roo state on Twitter.
The assailants, who were reportedly armed with “long guns”, stormed into the beach area and seized one man at gunpoint amid a sea of panicking tourists, according to local news website Noticaribe. At least one unidentified person was injured after being struck with the butt of a weapon.
The Quintana Roo state prosecutor’s office blamed the incident on a “confrontation” between drug dealing gangs, which claimed two lives.
“There were no serious injuries,” the office said in a tweet.
A person who answered the phone at the hotel said she was unaware of any incidents at the site. A Hyatt spokesperson said in an email: “We understand the hotel team immediately engaged local authorities, who are on the scene investigating the situation.”
The incident sparked terror among hotel guests.
“Men with guns stormed the beach and started shooting,” tweeted Andrew Krop, a guest at the hotel. “Please spread the word and get help on this. I have no idea what to do.”
A person answering the phone at the hotel said she was unaware of any incidents at the site. A Hyatt spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Mike Sington, a retired Hollywood executive who was also staying at the hotel tweeted: “All guests and employees were told to duck and we’re being taken to hiding places.”
He confirmed in a DM to the Guardian he was “hiding in a dark room”. He later tweeted that emotionally shaken guests had come out of hiding.
Some of the guests shared stories of “playing volleyball on the beach, gunman approached firing gun. Everyone ran from beach and swimming pools.”
The incident comes days after a Californian travel blogger and a German tourist were killed at a restaurant in the nearby beach resort of Tulum during a shootout between suspected gang members.
Cancún and the Mayan Riviera, which unfolds to the south, attract millions of tourists annually and area major source of foreign income for Mexico.
But the region has been plagued by violence as drug cartels dispute territories and run extortion rackets.
Tourists – who have continued to flock to the region throughout the pandemic – represent a substantial local market for drug dealers, and thanks to their strategic locations and transitory populations, Mexico’s tourist destinations have also been prime territory for the country’s criminal groups.
Meanwhile, the government’s strategy of targeting “kingpins” has exacerbated the conflict, as crime groups fracture into rival factions competing for territory and trade.
In Cancún, at least four cartels are thought to be contesting routes to smuggle cocaine in from South America and a local drug market targeting tourists and locals.
Cancun resort guests told to shelter as ‘rival drug dealers’ shoot two dead on Mexican beach
Guests at a Cancun resort were told to shelter inside the building after a gun battle between alleged rival drug dealers on the beach that left two dead.
Mexican officials said no tourists had been seriously harmed in the confrontation between “antagonistic groups of drug dealers” in Bahía Petempich, Mexico, near Cancun.
But two of the presumed criminals were shot dead in the fight, according to the local Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection.
The incident unfolded at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera resort in Cancun, Mexico, on Thursday afternoon with guests posting video of the incident to Twitter.
“All guests and employees told to duck, and we’re all taken to hiding places at Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun Resort. Active shooter? Terrorist or kidnapping threat? They’re not telling us anything,” tweeted former NBC executive Mike Sington.
“Active shooter at Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun Resort. All guests confined to lobby now. Hotel staff huddled together in corner. Still no announcement or update from hotel, Hyatt, or police. Several guests have now told be they saw gunman come up from the beach, actively shooting.”
Mr Sington then posted video with a hotel staff member telling the crowd that they “were all safe at this time”, and another saying that “the suspect has been apprehended.”
Jim Wildermuth, a hotel guest and US citizen from Atlanta, told ABC News that he had heard shots fired at the location and described the noise as “cracks.”
He said he had been told to shelter in place as there was an active shooter on the property.
The US embassy in Mexico said that the US consulate and authorities were aware of the reports but could not verify if they were accurate.
“We are aware of the situation and our office there is working with local law enforcement,” the embassy official said.
Karisma Hotels & Resorts, which runs the nearby Azul Beach Resort Riviera Cancun, released a statement after the reported incident.
“Our team at Azul Beach Resort Riviera Cancun is closely monitoring developments following a shooting that took place on the beach near the resort,” the statement said.
“No guests or employees were harmed. As always, the safety and security of our guests are of our utmost concern. An investigation is currently underway and we are doing whatever we can to facilitate and support the work of local officials.
“Any questions about the incident should be directed to local authorities.”
Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment