Not Marriotts fault. Stupid people do stupid things. This all depends on whether she can get her case into an American court, which will probably not be that difficult in that Marriott secured her business by advertising in the United States. Hummel, a recent Novato High School graduate, described the attack to ABC7 News from her hospital bed at Marin . (In Spanish because in panic you could do that when Spanish is your first language) We review our plans and procedures often and work closely with the appropriate authorities on an ongoing basis. Anti-Vaxx, Anti-Mask, Night swim where signs have "pictures". They think that Marriott should be held responsible, and state that Marriott hasnt even reached out to them, or tried to do anything to help them. 00:03 39:00. The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered. Im less concerned about the responsibility of Marriott in terms of warning about swimming; there are always risks associated with open water swimming. I loved mexico because of the more laid back proceed at your own risk attitude. Kerstin Sachl, a spokeswoman for Marriott properties of the Caribbean and Latin America, said: "We are aware of the incident. I've noticed two safety signs, all of which are written in multiple languages. A saltwater croc can weigh more than 2,000 pounds and launch itself with its tail. The tourists were at Mexico's Puerto Vallarta resort when one of the individuals went swimming and was attacked by a crocodile. If you played it, you would know she wasnt in the water swimming when a croc bit her. Instead she was sitting on sand with a friend hanging out. Silly to believe Marriott is somehow responsible for a tourist with little common sense. However there might be a case in regards to the delay in her getting an ambulance. Hummel and Martinez hope by sharing this story it will serve as a warning to others. Snakes come out at night as well ! The delay in calling an ambulance however is weird. So, Marriott may not be dealing with an irresponsible Mexican operator or franchisee here. We encourage all guests to be vigilant for their safety.. I have lived and worked in multiple countries for more than 41 years and visited quite a few countries just for fun and Puerto Vallarta is definitely high on my list. They just poured bottles of water on her wounds, and put bandages on her. If she sues, Marriott will surely move to dismiss on grounds "forum non conveniens," which basically means that she should sue in a Mexican court instead. For access to this beautiful protected habitat, the per person entrance fee is a donation of $20 pesos (2014). All Rights Reserved. I could be wrong, but I believe that to be the case. She spoke to a news outlet about what happened and a spokesperson for the resort has come forward with a statement. While we do try to list all the best miles and points deals, the site does not include all card companies or credit card offers available in the marketplace. The criticism of Marriott seems to be (1) the sign and (2) time it took to get an ambulance. The attacker fled. Hummels quick thinking and calm after the attack saved her life. If it's not facing right it's not Lacoste, therefore it's not a crocodile. Marriott has 0 responsibility. There is only one legal recourse and I doubt it will work. As for (1), English might be helpful, but that picture of a croc that is clearly on the sign would have more effect on me than words. The attack happened just before midnight at the Marriott resort in Puerto Vallarta. A teenager vacationing in Mexico experienced a horrific encounter with a 12-foot crocodile in the water, saying it came out of the water and grabbed her, pulling her under. It's a tragedy but no one is really to blame (except god, who likes to work miracles and challenge us at the same time?). It's a tough situation, glad she's ok. Heres a Good Morning America interview with Hummel: Teen details crocodile attack at Mexico beach resort and how she survived being dragged underwater. Good fing luck suing in Mexico and stay the f home if you can't deal with foreign languages or use common sense. Your feedback is important in helping us keep our community safe. two British sisters vacationing in Oaxaca were also attacked by a. Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ). There's a simple reason for this: crocodiles rarely attack humans. The incident happened while the teen was on a holiday at the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa with her friends. and then not have emergency procedures in place for your guests. But in this scenario it's common sense 101 that you DON'T enter unfamiliar waters, alone and especially at at night. Made me laugh how dare in Mexico they dont Have English signs! Even if she gets into an American court, it would still apply Mexican tort law, not California law, since the accident occurred there. An 18-year-old was attacked by a 12-foot crocodile at the Marriott Puerto Vallarta, shortly before going on a nighttime swim. "biting her left angle" I was at the same hotel at the same time, but did not witness the attack. It is a wonderful bay with gorgeous sandy beaches all around! In case people still doesn't get it, it is dangerous to swim at night, period. Up Next in news Mysterious death of Texas firefighter in Mexico July 26, 2021 "I'm mostly going to recover from all of this with time," she said. And since English is an international language, not only having signs for the myriad foreign tourists in English would make sense, but having signs posted in the lobby and something in the room. Hotel staff warned guests to avoid the water. However, Marriott spokeswoman Kerstin Sachl, in a statement to ABC7, said: The safety of our guests and associates is our top priority. "I'm pretty grateful that people were there to help me," she said from her hospital bed at Marin General Hospital. That was really bad. A sign is no different than holding someone accountable for how they used an app because they didn't read the 99 page terms of agreement. From a liability/risk management standpoint, even in a country like Mexico, you can't monitor a beach in a situation such as this 24/7. Hummel and her family think that Marriott should have done more to warn guests about the potential threat of crocodiles. Marriott didnt force her out there at night. Regardless if we decide to victim blame here, the moment she was injured the hotel's primary responsibility should have been to make sure she got medical attention. Aren't all of the signs in Miami only in Spanish too ? We have a friend who use to love to take early morning walks on the beaches next to the Marina, but she stopped doing that because of the Crock danger even in the early morning hours. Therefore, crocodiles or no crocodiles I still give Puerto Vallarta and Mexico in general ***** 5 stars and 2 thumbs up! Hummel said she remained calm even as she got dragged under the water. This is a perfect example of the need for emergency evacuation insurance with a medical benefit. To be 100% safe, just stay in the beautiful pool areas that the hotels have, or take a boat tour for an incredible view of Bahia de Banderas and the beautiful nature that surrounds it..and keep your feet out of the water! July 28, 2021 Examined Jul 29, 2021, 5:00 AM. This long road to recovery beats what could have been any number of devastating alternatives, her mother Ariana Martinez said. A Tripadvisor reviewer gave . Sure Patti, is Selma OK by the way??. During that time I have never seen a crocodile in the Bay called Bahia de Banderas. Be Careful digging in the sand on the beach. I do believe youre one of those people who think and act like they know it all. ", RELATED: Crocodile bites off woman's arm in Africa 5 days before her wedding, "We review our plans and procedures often and work closely with the appropriate authorities on an ongoing basis," she continued. Also, you are expecting PV to be Norway ---- its not, its Mexico. Marriot needs to be responsible for what happened is lawyer speak for they need to cough up money for me and me new client. IMHO signs are plentiful. Brains anyone? A crocodile sunk its teeth into a woman's ankle and shin, but she managed to free herself, with the help of nearby tourists. I believe the Westin and Marriott, which are separated by a few blocks, are both Marriott-managed. Hummel recalled how determined the creature was. Im obviously no lawyer (and the fact that this took place in Mexico with an American hotel group only complicates it further), but I do have a few thoughts: I dont know where exactly fault lies here. They also said that the previous night, around 4:30 AM, one of men in their party was chased to the beach stars by a crocodile (it is a narrow beach). A video was captured by a women walking her dog. "That call could have been a totally different call.". Just got back from PVR last night. "And I didn't think I was getting out that second time. The only thing I have a problem with, is the claim that the hospital staff did not help her and it took four hours to attend to her injuries which sound like they were pretty severe if she was unable to walk. Hummel told ABC7 that they hadnt even entered the water when the crocodile emerged, grabbed her by the right leg, and pushed her into the water. Please dont write these biased sensationalist All American posts. Candidate for a Darwin Award right there. , Laney said: It was definitely one of the craziest and scariest things Ive ever experienced Honestly, Ill never forget it when the crocodiles head came out above the water. "extensive muscle and never damage". People apparently did not play the video. Theres also an English tourist police number. Do we want to have a sign before every kind of risk in our lives? And female. I turn around and I saw 1 lone horse charging towards a mess of people including me. Saw one sunning on the rocks! If you played it, you would know she wasnt in the water swimming when a croc bit her. Thank goodness the world is not the USA - sue, sue, sue, or maybe just take responsibility for your own mistakes. By Ed Browne On 6/8/21 at 7:04 AM EDT. I can't recall if the signs were bilingual or not, but they had large images of a crocodile on them. It was my sister and her Gfriend and she was not in the water I have photos of where they where and NO signs where there. She was going to go for a late night swim (just before midnight), when she was attacked by a 12-foot crocodile. The river crocodile is a constant companion in Puerto Vallarta once very abundant in the whole area, is now found mostly in the El Salado Estuary, find out more Its claimed that the hotel staff initially didnt want to call an ambulance. Perhaps she should not be hanging out on sand at night but I think most people would not be expecting a croc comes out of sea and drag someone into Pacific Ocean. I'm sure she had been there earlier than her fateful swim and will have seen the sign in daylight. Mexican tort law is way less generous than American law, when it comes to compensating injured plaintiffs. Had we not been there, I just don't know.". Instead a Marriott spokesperson released the following statement about the incident: The safety and security of our guests and associates are our top priority, and we can confirm that appropriate signage, as well as night patrolling and red flags were and are properly in place. You can easily spot them even on the Marina Golf Course and some golfers even get close to them to check them out Not surprised. She got on the next flight from San Francisco to Puerto Vallarta. Have something to tell us about this article? A Bay Area teenager is recovering in hospital after a dream vacation to Mexico turned into a nightmare when she was dragged into the ocean by a crocodile. The hospital came out and said 7500.00 to treat her my sister did not have that type of room on her card they came back 20 min later saying ok we can do for 3500.00 SMH Marriot did refund 3 days of her hotel stay and that is all :( My niece is the real hero here besides Hummel She pulled and playe d tug of war with Hummel as the rope, she did break free and then tripped on the sand and it came out and grabbed her other leg thats when the help aarrived for that. Marriott and the hotel have absolutely no responsibility here. We'd get her a foot out of water, and then it would pull her back in," Laney said. Watch on. Kiana Hummel, 18, while on vacation at the Marriott resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, had opted for a night swim with her friend, but were ambushed by a crocodile before they reached the water. Yes, she face She probably will have some legal recourse against the property, not necessarily for lack of warnings (this would be evaluated) but for the property's failure to provide proper aid in a timely fashion, which could have aggravated her injuries. For the medical attention part, I'm giving the benefit of doubt here due to language barrier or Americans being afraid of having no insurance (yes our system is so Darwinism seems to be failing these days. She said she and her friends ran to help. Sorry if this was already posted I didn't see it. Kiana Hummel, who lives in California's Bay Area, said she and a friend decided to go for a late-night swim when the croc jumped out of the water and grabbed her right leg. Very American to deny any responsibility and to blame the other party. Outside of banner ads published through the Boarding Area network, this compensation does not impact how and where products appear on this site. She's lucky that she's still around to whine and complain that it's someone else's fault that she's a dumbass. If I owned the hotel, I would close-off beach access and instead have the best hotel pool in Puerto Vallarta. "It was really a tug-of-war. Made me laugh how dare in Mexico they dont Have English signs! "It didn't want to give up. They said he took a picture of the crocodile. American privilege means all signs must be in English. The teen is expected to make a full recovery, though itll be a long journey to get to that point. Don't assume someone else will. Lool, the sign is in Spanish (in Mexico!!!) I happen to think we assume natures risks in the oceans. The remains of a man who is believed to have been attacked by crocodiles were found in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, on Thursday. I can see how she may have an issue with the speed and the quality of medical help provided after the incident but that's about it. Hummel described the attack from her hospital bed. Always take care of yourself. This is unnerving. It could go something like this February 23, 2023 Puerto Vallarta Articles, . They said they were not given a verbal warning and they only learned of the warning sign after the attack. Hopefully this American tourist has learned her lesson and will avail herself to PROPER Insurance coverage next time she leaves the country for vacation. Swimming in any ocean at night is dangerous (as others pointed out) and blaming the hotel for a wild animal attack in the wild environment (the ocean) is just strange. The woman's friend,. Months after Buhl's recovery, he and. See more about our ethics policies here. Dumbest comment ever. The only potential liability Marriott should shoulder - in common sense land - is that for delaying her treatment and being unwilling to call an ambulance. An 18 year old in Mexico without parents. Its terrible that it happened but chill a little. Im on the phone with her, she screams, Get me an ambulance, bring me an ambulance to the hospital, said Ariana Martnez, who found out about the attack on her daughter on Facetime. Fortunately there were some brave people who heard screams, and came to the teen's rescue. You NEVER go swimming late at night in any natural body of water. We lived in Puerto Vallarta for a while in the marina area (where the Marriott is located). There are signs, (albeit in Spanish in a SPANISH SPEAKING country,) warning about crocs. That's when a massive crocodile grabbed her right leg and tried pulling her to deeper water, reports NBC-News. A witness who heard the screams of 18-year-old Kiana Hummel as the Bay Area girl was being viciously attacked by a 12-foot crocodile at a Marriott resort in Mexico last week wrote a rather . Anti-Vaxx, Anti-Mask, Night swim where signs have "pictures". Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. Westin Leipzig Accused Of Shocking Anti-Semitism, Ridiculous: This Marriott Hotel Charges Fee To Use Points (Update), Marriott Appoints Anthony Capuano As New CEO, Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners, She struck the crocodile until it released her right leg, She then tried to escape, but the crocodile struck again, biting her left ankle and forcing her underwater again (I cant even begin to imagine how terrifying this must have been, this is worse than any nightmare), Some bystanders heard Hummel scream, and ran to help; amazingly enough they managed to get the crocodile to let go of her, and they were able to bring her to safety (huge kudos to these brave people what a selfless act to help free someone from a crocodile), Crocodile attacks on the beach are rare, but this also isnt the first time something like this has happened; someone was similarly attacked in 2018 on the same beach, The frustration here stems from no real warning of the potential for crocodiles to be in the ocean; if Hummel really thought there could have been a crocodile in the ocean, she likely wouldnt have gone in. Insane. Leer en Espaol. Absolutely, the hotel doesn't own the sea and not responsible for teaching its guests common sense. Just for some perspective, the Marriot is relatively close to the Ameca River outlet and 2 km . Fortunately there were some brave people who heard screams, and came to the teens rescue. TikTok "And I didn't think I was getting out that second time.. The hotel doesn't own the ocean and unless they somehow forced her to do a night swim I don't see how they should he held liable for her Glad to hear she's OK, but swimming in the ocean at night by yourself is incredibly risky for a number of reasons including having your chances of getting bit by a shark or in this case a croc increased as they are more active during this time. Assuming she gets into an American court and the hotel's assumption the risk defense is unavailing, then she could collect some damages. The croc or shark or any wildlife is just in addition to what I mentioned above, so people, don't go for a "swim" at night, its just plain dangerous. Hummel's friend and four good Samaritans fought the reptile to a draw before a hotel employee, armed with a hunk of wood, struck the crocodile. A British woman who was saved by her twin sister when a crocodile attacked her now has sepsis from her wounds. We encourage all guests to be vigilant for their safety.. I dont believe for a second youve been swimming with sharks for years. I don't. Marriott and the hotel have absolutely no responsibility here. This is why you won't ever see me within 3 miles of a beach. We were throwing anything we could find, but it wasn't anything big enough.". That was just really bad.". We are in a culture of doling out maximum sympathy; the victim NEVER has any responsibility. 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