British woman’s body found after yacht hit by hurricane
The body of one of the two Britons reported as missing at sea after Hurricane Odile battered Mexico’s Pacific coast, has been found.
The Foreign Office has confirmed the death of Simone Wood, from London. Her partner Paul Whitehouse from Wolverhampton, who was with her on one of 25 yachts that capsized in the harbour of La Paz, is still missing.
Odile also destroyed homes and hotels in the beach resorts of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula on Sunday.
The FO said it was assisting the couple’s families and ensuring other UK tourists were safe.
Mr Whitehouse has been working as a scuba instructor in La Paz for a year.
On Wednesday, thousands of tourists had to be airlifted by military and commercial planes from the Los Cabos resort.
Odile made landfall at Mexico’s Pacific Coast last Sunday as a category three hurricane, causing extensive damage.
Vigilante groups in Baja California Sur have set up patrols in an attempt to prevent looting in the state.
Many shacks in poor areas in the region were blown away by the storm, which had sustained winds of up to 125mph, according to the US National Hurricane Center.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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