Puerto Morelos, Q.R. — UPDATED: A man reported to be in his 60s was rushed to hospital Tuesday after being struck by a propeller. The accident happened Tuesday morning while the man was swimming near the reef in Puerto Morelos.
According to early information, the man’s right leg was hit by the propeller of a passing fishing boat. The accident happened around 9:00 a.m. when he reportadly swam outside the marked swimming area, which is delimited by buoys.
According to preliminary investigations, the swimmer was in the boating navigation channel near the reef when it passed to head out to open sea. The captain reported not seeing the swimmer in his path.
Boat staff pulled the injured man onto their vessel and transported him to a pier for medical care where they called 9-1-1 for additional support. Municipal paramedics and firefighters treated the injured man at the pier before he was transferred to a Playa del Carmen hospital.
Following the emergency services’ intervention, officers from the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) arrived at the fishing pier to interview those on board the involved boat.
Initial reports indicate that the man suffered a partial amputation of his lower right leg.
UPDATE September 11: The man who was struck in the leg by the propellor of a passing boat has died. The unidentified Puerto Morelos resident died in hospital Wednesday hours after being admitted. The captain of the boat that hit him has been arrested.
While the deceased has not been named, boatmen knew of him as a local resident that was often seen snorkeling outside the marked swimming area. For this reason, Puerto Morelos boatmen have filed a legal statement with the signatures of boat crews in support of their fellow boatman who remains in custody.
