Authorities in Belize established new protective policies for cave-tubing after a Carnival Cruise Lines passenger died on a shore excursion Sept. 24. Carnival has suspended all sales of the cave-tubing excursion in Belize. A 52-year-old woman from Orlando, who was sailing on Carnival Glory, apparently drowned during the cave-tubing shore excursion. Cave-tubing allows people to float in rubber inner tubes on a river that flows through dark caves. Media reports from Belize said the river was high on Sept. 24 and strong currents pushed the victim directly into a cave wall.
On Oct. 2, the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) and Belize's National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) announced new mandatory protective policies for cave tubing in Belize, effective Oct.15. The incident remains under investigation by authorities, and includes an examination of Carnival and its contracted tour operator, Bel-Cruise. The Tour Operator Licensing Committee met Oct. 2 to review the facts in the case in an effort to finalize recommendations on what sanctions should be placed on the tour operator. Director of Tourism Tracy Panton said a cave-tubing accident of this magnitude has never occurred before. "Belize remains committed to being a safe and secure destination for travelers around the world," Panton said. "To ensure this reputation continues, the BTB will work closely with the NICH, the Tour Operator Licensing Committee and other relevant law enforcement agencies not only to investigate the incident, but also for the enforcement of new and preventative policies that will be immediately instituted."
The BTB and the NICH have established several mandatory policies, set to be legally enforced beginning Oct. 15. These policies include enhanced, mandatory guide-to-guest ratios of 1-to-8 for all operating cave-tubing tour companies in Belize; additional signage posted in each cave-tubing excursion site informing participants of park rules and current water conditions and/or warnings; meticulous scheduling of cave-tubing tours offered by tour operators; and the continuation of mandatory specialty training for each cave-tubing guide (which will include education on the new regulations). In addition, helmets will also be required for each cave-tubing participant starting Jan. 1, 2009. Furthermore, NICH, which manages the Cave Branch Archeological Park, will acquire additional monitoring equipment for cave-tubing excursions that will measure currents and other factors to ensure safety. For more information, visit www.travelbelize.org or www.bookccl.com.
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