Cancun, Q.R. — A section of a boat pier gave way Thursday night as passengers disembarked in the Cancun Hotel Zone. Approximately two meters of a wooden pier collapsed as the people walked on it, causing them to fall into the water.
The incident happened around 8:30 p.m. Emergency services were deployed to the area due to initial miscommunication. A 9-1-1 report was made regarding a collapse at a hotel, however, when police arrived, they learned it was a collapse across from a hotel.
Across from the hotel, police located six wet boaters. Authorities interviewed 63 year old Jesús “A” who told police that they went out for a trip on boat El Rayo. When returning to the dock as usual and the passengers began to disembark, the old structure could not support their weight, causing the wood to collapse.
The wooden pier belongs to a water tour company at Kilometer 7 of the Cancun Hotel Zone. The incident caused six people to fall into the Nichupté lagoon. Paramedics treated all six for minor scrapes. Civil Protection of Cancun was notified and arrived to inspect the boat dock.
“The Civil Protection team arrived immediately after receiving a report of a collapse of the pier located in Aqua-Tours, where upon the arrival of the boat and the beginning of the descent of the crew, some of the people who were on the boat fell into the water. Since the boards were unstable, support was requested from 911 and the injured were treated,” they said in a statement.
Cancun firemen were also on scene, but left shortly after arriving. Authorities have since closed the pier, which will remain off limits until the necessary repairs are made.
