baracuda bite?

[golfpi]

Did anyone hear about the guy who got his foot chewed up by a baracuda some where near Cancun? I just heard something on our local news and the Mexican hospital he is in will not release him until he pays 100,000 dollars for the surgury they had to preform. Where did it happen at? The U.S embassey is getting involved.

[golfpi]

Cancun 'Cuda Attack Strands IUP Breaker; U.S. Steps In

 

POSTED: 5:49 pm EST March 9, 2005

UPDATED: 7:04 pm EST March 10, 2005

 

Spring Break for an Indiana University of Pennsylvania student ended with a trip to the hospital, and his family is pleading with the U.S. government for help.

 

Guzan

Paul Guzan

 

Paul Guzan, 22, was attacked by a barracuda while swimming with friends Tuesday in Cancun, Mexico.

 

"You never think it's going to happen to anyone," his aunt, Cheryl Banner, told Channel 4 Action News reporter Sheldon Ingram. "You hear about things like this and you never have fear of being in the ocean. But for this to happen on a spring break?"

 

The fish ripped through tendons and ligaments and tore the flesh off Guzan's foot.

 

"There is no skin on the upper part and lower part of his foot," said Guzan's mother, Cheryl. "They had to reconstruct the main artery going into his large toe."

 

Guzan spent eight hours in surgery, but the hospital would not accept his health insurance. His family had to pay $15,000 up front before the operation could proceed.

 

"I couldn't believe that's how it works. Thank goodness we had a credit card," Banner said. "How are we going to get reimbursed from the insurance carrier?"

 

The hospital apparently rejected the family's insurance because their carrier did not pay for a previous, unrelated case, Ingram reported. They won't release Guzan until the rest of his bill is paid.

 

Guzan's family is still waiting to learn how much they owe the hospital. In the meantime, the student's father is headed to Cancun.

 

Now, the American embassy is intervening on the Guzans' behalf.

 

"They faxed something over to the hospital showing them that, because we paid the deposit, they can't physically keep us from leaving," Cheryl Guzan said.

 

The family wants to get Guzan out of Mexico and into a Pittsburgh hospital as soon as possible, but it's unclear when that may happen.

[bruce-r]

Hadn't hear about that. I think that barracuda attacks are pretty rare.

 

I am not surprised at all with the way the insurance stuff was handled. Mexico is a foreign country. Not everyone's insurance will cover them outside the US. The hospital knows this and is just covering their "assets". They do seem a bit heavy handed with the way they went about it however.

 

I would expect to have to pay up front for medical service in Mexico and then be reimbursed by medical insurance.

 

Too bad about the boy's foot. I wonder what the circumstances of the attack were.

[Latitude 20]

What a strange story! The good news is AP is reporting that Paul and his father are on their way home.

 

I can't imagine why a barracuda would attack a swimmer or how anyone could be so far out as to encounter one. Maybe it was sick or injured and headed into shallow water, got confused and just struck out at whatever it could find. In any event, these things are really, really, really rare and no one should curtail their water activities because of them.

 

The second moral of this story is buy travel insurance (or DAN insurance if you're diving). Those companies are more experienced at dealing with foreign medical systems and can generally arrange for evacuation within 24 hours or so. The tourist areas of Mexico are notorious for jacking up prices for medical treatment 100% or more above the going rate for the rest of the country, generally do not accept domestic American insurance plans and require payment up front and in cash.

 

Kathi

[cali-croozer]

I can't imagine why a barracuda would attack a swimmer or how anyone could be so far out as to encounter one. Maybe it was sick or injured and headed into shallow water, got confused and just struck out at whatever it could find. In any event, these things are really, really, really rare and no one should curtail their water activities because of them.

 

Kathi

 

 

We saw them while diving in St. Thomas, pretty close to shore (we were on a shallow, shore dive). And, in Costa Maya, a group of them were right near the pier. I have never heard of an attack, before this one.

[mlbcruiser]

I have seen them at Chankanaab park on Cozumel. In fact, my first encounter w/one face to face was there. He just "hung" there in the water and didn't bother anyone. In French Polynesia we saw a VERY AGGRESSIVE and fast one, but no problems. Our guide kept "teasing" him and he'd zoom by, chasing whatever the guide was offering. He looked VERY menacing and I kept a shiny, gold charm I wore on a chain covered w/my hand! My brother dives and has a video of himself dropping a diving knife when in the FL Keys. He did it on purpose and filmed about 4 or 5 barracuda diving for it! All knashing their teeth as they went! Scary looking video! He said they are rather playful, like cats, and go after such shiny things but he's never been bitten and has seen them many times. My husband suffered a small bite once in FL. Just a nick barely large enough to draw some blood. I've forgotten if we were at Clearwater Beach or Daytona (used to go to both a lot). The lifeguard told us it was "probably" a small baracuda. Nothing like the poor kid in Cancun suffered! In general, I don't think you have to worry much about them.

[Woodsmaster]

That's why you carry DAN insurance as well as your Major medical.....

[Wennfred]

As a Padi DIver, you learn what not to mess with, and These Cudas are one to leave alone, also keep shiny objects away from your body, keep Keys on land and not hanging at your side, also stay away from Chrome face masks, Shiny objects act like a lure to these fish, These fish are large and very aggressive, you hear lots of storys out of Miami of these jumping after people in House boats.

[mcgovernsandra]

We just got off the Valor and my husband encountered a barracuda while snorkeing right off the beach in Chankanaab in Cozumel. Several other divers and snorkelers saw him there also. Nobody bothered him, and he in turn did not bother anyone. I hear they pretty much need to be provoked before attacking, but who knows what the circumstance was. Very unfortunate accident.

[winewanderer]

DH and I saw saw one snorkeling right by the ship in Cozumel at the pier. He was under one of the pilings (sp?) hanging out. Didn't bother us at all and we got fairly close to it.

 

Always be aware of your surroundings I say.

[Corigan]

Like Stated, keep shiney objects away from you. I cover up my shiney dive watch with my hand everytime I see a cuda. I have never had a problem with them and usually see a few on just about every SW dive I have.

 

Matt