Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, July 18, 2005
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Hydroplane Accident
Claims
Six Lives
A hydroplane accident off the coast of Playa Flamingo, in the northwestern province of Guanacaste, claimed the lives of six U.S. citizens, including three children, according to Alexander Morales, chief of communications for the Costa Rican Red Cross.
(Click for more)
Yellow Alert Declared
for Hurricane Emily
Costa Rica's National Emergency Commission (CNE), declared a yellow alert in the country's Pacific region and the Central Valley, because of heavy rains caused by Hurricane Emily.
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Central Americans Could Share
Common Passport by the End of 2005
A Central American common passport could come into effect by the end of the year as part of a process of regional integration, the Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Relations, Jorge Briz, announced.
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July 18
First Flamenco Fair
July 18-21, guitar, percussion, and dance lessons, conferences, lectures and a concert, School of Fine Arts, University of Costa Rica; July 21-24, three Spanish restaurants, flamenco product sales, Pedregal, San Antonio de Belén.
Tai Chi Summer Camps
Private cabin, meals, two daily tai chi lessons, July 18-27, Aug. 1-10. Info www.chentaijiinternational.com.
Photography Exhibit
By Students of the Alajuela University College (CUNA), July 18-31, Casa de la Cultura de Heredia. Info: 261- 4483.
Edited By María Gabriela Díaz
Tico Times Staff
mgdiaz@ticotimes.net
Hydroplane Accident
Claims
Six Lives
By María Gabriela Díaz
Tico Times Staff
mgdiaz@ticotimes.net
A hydroplane accident off the coast of Playa Flamingo, in the northwestern province of Guanacaste, claimed the lives of six U.S. citizens, including three children, according to Alexander Morales, chief of communications for the Costa Rican Red Cross.
The private hydroplane, a type of aircraft designed to take off and land on water as well as land, skidded into the ocean shortly before 9:30 a.m., when the accident was reported to the Red Cross, Morales said.
“We do not yet know what caused the accident, although the declarations of fishermen who witnessed it led to an unofficial speculation that it may have been a mechanical failure,” Fabián Meza, Public Security Ministry spokesman told The Tico Times yesterday.
The victims were identified as the pilot and owner of the aircraft, Gregory Gund, 28, Cindy Ruetz, 41, Justin Ruetz, 9, Jack Ruetz, 12, Paul Kelss, age unknown, and Connor Kelss, 7, according to Morales.
Although authorities recovered four of the bodies, two bodies remain trapped in the sunken plane.
Divers recovered the bodies of Cindy Ruetz, Paul and Connor Kelss Saturday, and yesterday removed Gregory Gund's body from the plane, according to ACAN-EFE newswire service.
The operation to recover the bodies from the plane was cancelled Saturday at approximately 6:00 p.m. and resumed yesterday morning at 5:20 a.m., Morales said.
The hydroplane left Tobías Bolaños Airport in Pavas, west of San José, Saturday at 7:50 a.m. with destination Tamarindo, a beach town that neighbors Flamingo. There it would pick up its passengers to take them on an aerial tour of San José, according to the daily Al Día.
Paul and Connor Kelss, who came to the country to visit the Ruetz,' were meant to return to the United States yesterday. Don Ruetz, Cindy Ruetz' husband, lived with his family in Tamarindo, where they opened a gym a year ago.
Gregory Gund was a friend of the other victims and son of the owner of several California hockey teams, including the San José Sharks. He also resided in Tamarindo, Al Día reported.
Yellow Alert Declared
for Hurricane Emily
Costa Rica's National Emergency Commission (CNE), declared a yellow alert in the country's Pacific region and the Central Valley, because of heavy rains caused by Hurricane Emily.
The yellow alert, emitted Friday night, includes the transfer of personnel to areas of risk and activation of local emergency committees in the Pacific and Central Valley.
Paulo Manso, director of the National Meteorology Institute (IMN) said although the hurricane struck the Caribbean, the most affected area in Costa Rica will be the Pacific coast, which has a high risk of flooding.
According to the Meteorology Institute, rains of “intermittent and variable” intensity in San José were expected to last until yesterday because of Hurricane Emily's expected path.
--ACAN-EFE
Central Americans Could Share Common
Passport by the End of 2005
Guatemala (ACAN-EFE) A Central American common passport could come into effect by the end of the year as part of a process of regional integration, the Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Relations, Jorge Briz, announced.
Briz said the regional document “is a project that continues to advance and we hope by the end of the year it could come into effect,” initially in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.
Costa Rica, which together with the other four countries founded the System of Central American Integration (SICA), has not participated in meetings with the rest of the member nations and could take on the regional passport later, he said.
Briz explained the purpose of the Central American Common Passport, along with an increase in security measures, is to ease the transit of people through Central America and stimulate tourism, commerce and business-related activities in the region.
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