A boat propeller killed two American marine biologists scuba diving in Mexico Friday.
The boat propeller reportedly chopped up two men, aged 60 and 65, as they were diving off the coast of Cancun, Daily Mail reported.
The now-deceased marine biologists had boarded a Squalo Adventures boat and swam among artificial reefs and sunken ships at an area where the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea converge, Noticaribe reported. (RELATED: Search For Missing Diver Suspended After Equipment Found With Damage From Sea Predator)
Andres, the owner of Squalo Adventures, said the marine biologists were using the buoy lines when Mr. Tom, a boat owned by Scuba Cancun, sailed over and killed them. Andres’ divemaster and two other divers described what happened to Andres, according to Daily Mail.
“They did not follow the rules, they just wanted to drop their divers off,” the divers told Andres, according to Daily Mail. “They did not respect the area.”
The owner of Mr. Tom, however, told Daily Mail that another company’s boat was responsible for the death of both men.
EXCLUSIVE: Scuba captain says Americans were killed in ‘tragic accident’ by ANOTHER boat’s propellers while diving in Cancun https://t.co/Jh4vtELcZH
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) March 6, 2022
The unnamed captain of Mr. Tom is now in custody, according to Mexican media reports.
“It was a tragic accident,” Andres told Daily Mail.
One of the bodies was taken to Isla Mujeres and the other to Cancun. The families are retrieving the bodies at both locations, Daily Mail reported.