Rescuers Hope to Save Divers in Mexico
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Apparently they are now out and in jail
adder70
Contributor
Apparently the Mexican government is pissed at the UK government and is using these off duty military and their friends as pawns/hostages. I have family in the military, and work for a government contractor. Sounds like a good reason to avoid the Mexican Cenotes. I mean, they may be nice, but what if the Mexican government decides to take me prisoner to make a point with the US government? I think I'll stick to the US caves.
I suppose it's possible that they were actually acting covertly against the interests of Mexico, but I just don't want to be there and take the risk. We're talking about a government who strongly opposes the US desire to expel illegal immigrants that are Mexican nationals from our country. That government is largely supported by illegal activity in the US, and I have yet to be given a reason that they are not on the terrorist nation list. How many Mexican nationals commit crimes against American citizens every day, and what does Mexico do? They fight to protect the illegals from even being forced to leave, much less sent to jail!! I think anyone who visits Mexico (Cenotes, Cozumel, etc.) needs to keep this in mind. Make sure you stay in the heavily touristed areas where the US can protect you, and hope the Mexican government doesn't have a beef with the US that day.
I suppose it's possible that they were actually acting covertly against the interests of Mexico, but I just don't want to be there and take the risk. We're talking about a government who strongly opposes the US desire to expel illegal immigrants that are Mexican nationals from our country. That government is largely supported by illegal activity in the US, and I have yet to be given a reason that they are not on the terrorist nation list. How many Mexican nationals commit crimes against American citizens every day, and what does Mexico do? They fight to protect the illegals from even being forced to leave, much less sent to jail!! I think anyone who visits Mexico (Cenotes, Cozumel, etc.) needs to keep this in mind. Make sure you stay in the heavily touristed areas where the US can protect you, and hope the Mexican government doesn't have a beef with the US that day.
H2Andy
Contributor
well, they were released shortly thereafter, after questioning.
they were supposed to have permits or something to be in there, which they
did not, as i understand it.
this was a tempest in a teacup.
they were supposed to have permits or something to be in there, which they
did not, as i understand it.
this was a tempest in a teacup.
adder70
Contributor
Yeah, well, somebody needs to slap the guy at Reuters up-side the head, then. Making mention of the detention but not the release (It is mentioned in the caption of one of the pictures, though) does imply that the cavers are still under detention. Jeez!
"After receiving medical checks at a military hospital, the cavers were brought in minibuses for questioning at a rundown immigration center in Mexico City on Friday, accompanied by trucks bearing rifle-toting members of a special police force."
Oh well, still simpler to stay in the US. After all, the US has most (not all) of the natural features present in the world, so what can you get elswhere that you can't get in the US except people who talk a different language? (Of course, in certain parts of Louisiana, they DO speak a different language!
)
"After receiving medical checks at a military hospital, the cavers were brought in minibuses for questioning at a rundown immigration center in Mexico City on Friday, accompanied by trucks bearing rifle-toting members of a special police force."
Oh well, still simpler to stay in the US. After all, the US has most (not all) of the natural features present in the world, so what can you get elswhere that you can't get in the US except people who talk a different language? (Of course, in certain parts of Louisiana, they DO speak a different language!
)
adder70:
This happened about 1000 km from the popular diving cenotes of the Yucatan peninsular. Kinda like saying, "I'm not going to dive in florida as it is on the same coast as the pentagon, and that got hit by a plane."
The issue (which was extensively discussed on cavetex, a Texas caver listserv) is that, traditionally, cavers have been permitted to go caving in Mexico with a normal tourist visa, which is what the Brits had. They were also mapping as they explored, which is a normal (and responsible!) dry caver activity. The Mexican government, deciding that after creating an unnecessary fracas it should find SOME offense, arbitrarily decided that mapping while exploring a cave bumped you from just needing a tourist visa, to needing a FM-3 (non-immigrant visitor visa), which costs more and is more involved to get.
This decision will most likely hurt cave tourism in Mexico, which has some of the finest dry cave systems in the world. Currently there is effort underway to have the Mexican government clarify and reverse its decision in this matter.
As far as "permits to be in there" are concerned, however, everyone who should appropriately been notified about the Brits being in the cave, was.
jeff
This decision will most likely hurt cave tourism in Mexico, which has some of the finest dry cave systems in the world. Currently there is effort underway to have the Mexican government clarify and reverse its decision in this matter.
As far as "permits to be in there" are concerned, however, everyone who should appropriately been notified about the Brits being in the cave, was.
jeff
H2Andy:
How did they communicate with the surface? Radio signals would be blocked by the rock, of course runners seemed to be out of the question. How did they talk to the surface??
Carrier Pigeons?
Anyone know? Wendy?
Colin Berry
Carrier Pigeons?
Anyone know? Wendy?
Colin Berry
H2Andy
Contributor
nah, the Mexican government was just embarrased because the Brits declined
local help.
so they make a production number of it, make some pronouncements, etc.
it will be interesting to see how seriously they enforce the FM-3 requirement.
and for the record, the official Mexican government position is that they were not notified of the exploration. it's a he-said, she-said thing. i tend to believe the cavers,
but everybody knows not to piss off the guys who control access to where you have fun.
it's their country. it's common courtesy.
local help.
so they make a production number of it, make some pronouncements, etc.
it will be interesting to see how seriously they enforce the FM-3 requirement.
and for the record, the official Mexican government position is that they were not notified of the exploration. it's a he-said, she-said thing. i tend to believe the cavers,
but everybody knows not to piss off the guys who control access to where you have fun.
it's their country. it's common courtesy.
H2Andy
Contributor
coberry7:
i read somewhere "special radios" that are able to penetrate
rock. no clue what that means.
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