A teenager has died after falling from a fairground ride during a festival.
Gabriela Rodríguez Tezoco, 18, came free from her seat as the ride, known as The Pendulum, span at full speed shortly after 8pm.
Red Cross paramedics gave her immediate treatment before rushing her to a nearby hospital.
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She died in the early hours of the following morning after suffering catastrophic injuries in the fall.
The tragedy unfolded at the traditional fair in Cabo San Lucas in Baja California Sur, Mexico, on Tuesday night (20 Oct).
Municipal authorities immediately shut down the ride and sealed off the area while ordering safety checks on every other attraction at the fairground.
The rides are operated by private contractors and all documentation is now being scrutinised as part of the probe.
The State Prosecutor’s Office of Baja California Sur has opened a formal investigation to determine how the teenager came free from her restraints and whether anyone is to blame.
Experts are examining the ride to establish if it met operating standards.
Los Cabos mayor Christian Agúndez Gómez broke off a concert on Wednesday night to speak directly to the crowd about the tragedy.
He said: “These festivals remind us who we are, where we come from and what we are capable of when we are united.
“Today, with the same spirit with which we come together to celebrate, we must come together to accompany Gabriela’s family.
“It could have been any of us. You are not alone.”
The town hall confirmed it will co-operate fully with investigators and support the victim’s relatives.
In a further development, the head of municipal Civil Protection, Francisco Cota Márquez, was removed from his post and replaced by Diego Camacho Hale.
Officials said the change would ensure transparency and give investigators unrestricted access to all relevant records.
The move came amid reports that Civil Protection teams had carried out a supervision of the fair, including its rides, only days before the accident.
Gabriela had only recently left a local high school in Cabo San Lucas, where she had been crowned Princess of Cobach 10, as reported by Need To Know.
The school issued a heartfelt tribute, saying: “May your smile remain alive in our memory and your memory always be a light that accompanies us.”
No one has yet been arrested and the precise cause of the failure remains under investigation.
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