CAYE CAULKER, Belize District, Tues. Nov. 23, 2015–A tourist who was snorkeling in Shark Ray Alley in Caye Caulker died after he suffered difficulties in the water, went down and did not come up.
Karl Edwin Simmons, 61, later floated to the surface and was taken to the Caye Caulker Polyclinic, where he was declared dead on arrival.
Police reported that Simmons, an American security officer of Baywood Street, Shore Acres, Texas, USA, a tourist and member of a cruise that was visiting Caye Caulker from a cruise ship, was snorkeling with his wife, Esther, 56, in Shark Ray Alley when she began to drift away because of the strong current, and he quickly swam after her to help her.
According to reports, however, Simmons began to experience difficulty, and he went down and disappeared under the water.
Shortly after, he was seen floating face down in the water. He was quickly retrieved and taken to the clinic, where he was declared dead.
The tour guides who were present kept the tourists calm after the incident, while Simmons was taken to the hospital.
They were sad, however, when they were later told that he had died.
After an autopsy, it was concluded that the cause of death was due to drowning.
However many believed that he suffered a cardiac arrest while swimming.
Police told Amandala that the American Embassy was immediately notified, and the body will be returned to his country by his wife, Esther, for burial, with assistance from the Embassy.
