A tourist catamaran has capsized at sea during the night, leaving at least four dead.
The as-yet-unnamed victims include a 10-year-old boy.
According to reports, the ‘Goddess of the Sea’ catamaran set off from Cancun, Mexico, to travel to the nearby Isla Mujeres.
The vessel was reportedly hired by a group of tourists to visit the small island.
Shortly after departing at around 7pm last night (29 Jan), the catamaran capsized with at least 16 people on board.
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Local reports said the vessel either encountered a technical problem or was overturned by a freak wave.
Meteorologists said a cold front had caused strong winds and choppy conditions at sea, with waves estimated to be around 10 feet high.
As soon as a distress call went out, local boats were mobilised to help the victims in the water.
The authorities are still trying to find at least five people who were on board at the time of the accident, but currently remain missing.
As the vessel set sail at night, the conditions were difficult for rescue teams to account for everyone on board.
Meanwhile, several injured passengers were transported to a health centre on Isla Mujeres.
One woman is said to be in a serious condition.
The captain of the vessel has been placed under arrest as the authorities carry out an investigation and determine if human error was at play.
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