Spring Break
Horrors of Mexico alter student perception of South-of-the-Border
Greg Gentile
Issue date: 3/4/09 Section: News
The safety measures and urgency taken by hotel staff, the medical equipment at hand and the response time from the emergency medical crews were all inadequate.
According to the State Department's Web site, there have been 2,243 non-natural deaths of U.S. citizens outside of the country's borders from Jan. 1, 2005 to Dec. 31, 2007.
Of that total, 669 of these - 30 percent - have occurred in Mexico, followed by Iraq with 113 deaths, or 5 percent.
The top seven causes of these deaths are vehicle accidents, homicides, drownings, suicide, terrorist action, air accidents and deaths related to alcohol or drugs.
"It is not always alcohol involved, people like to use that as an excuse," Webster said.
On Feb. 20 the State Department released a specific travel advisory to all those looking to travel to Mexico. The advisory reads: "violence in the country has increased recently," and that it is of extreme importance travelers understand the risks of trekking to Mexico.
"Some recent Mexican army and police confrontations with drug cartels have resembled small-unit combat," the travel warning said. "Large firefights have taken place in many towns and cities across Mexico."
Tourism is Mexico's third largest income producer.
Webster will be meeting with the head of Mexican Tourism Board soon.
She said, "I am not out to destroy their tourism, but they got to step it up."
Through everything Webster has been through with the death of her son, she gave one piece of advice for all those traveling this spring.
"No one should travel alone, always use a buddy system," Webster said.
According to the State Department's Web site, there have been 2,243 non-natural deaths of U.S. citizens outside of the country's borders from Jan. 1, 2005 to Dec. 31, 2007.
Of that total, 669 of these - 30 percent - have occurred in Mexico, followed by Iraq with 113 deaths, or 5 percent.
The top seven causes of these deaths are vehicle accidents, homicides, drownings, suicide, terrorist action, air accidents and deaths related to alcohol or drugs.
"It is not always alcohol involved, people like to use that as an excuse," Webster said.
On Feb. 20 the State Department released a specific travel advisory to all those looking to travel to Mexico. The advisory reads: "violence in the country has increased recently," and that it is of extreme importance travelers understand the risks of trekking to Mexico.
"Some recent Mexican army and police confrontations with drug cartels have resembled small-unit combat," the travel warning said. "Large firefights have taken place in many towns and cities across Mexico."
Tourism is Mexico's third largest income producer.
Webster will be meeting with the head of Mexican Tourism Board soon.
She said, "I am not out to destroy their tourism, but they got to step it up."
Through everything Webster has been through with the death of her son, she gave one piece of advice for all those traveling this spring.
"No one should travel alone, always use a buddy system," Webster said.
