Two Seattle area educators were among the eight Americans killed in a bus crash on Tuesday that left a total of 12 people dead, it was learned on Thursday.
In Washington state, officials said Jody Fritz and her husband Andy Fritz died.
She was an assistant principal at Sand Hill, an elementary school in the small town of Belfair and her husband taught environmental science at Clover Park Technical College near Tacoma for nearly two decades, according to their employers, who were notified by a family member.
Both were 51.
A preliminary manslaughter investigation indicated the driver lost control of the bus and when he tried to get it back on the narrow highway, the bus flipped, struck a tree and landed in vegetation along the roadside, state prosecutor Miguel Angel Pech Cen told reporters.
Two Seattle area educators were among the eight Americans killed in a bus crash on Tuesday that left a total of 12 people dead, it was learned on Thursday. In Washington state, officials said Jody Fritz (right) and her husband Andy Fritz (left) died
She was an assistant principal at Sand Hill, an elementary school in the small town of Belfair
Her husband taught environmental science at Clover Park Technical College near Tacoma for nearly two decades, according to their employers, who were notified by a family member
Both were 51. Jody Fritz was a dedicated educator who had recently started work at her school and made a deep impression, said North Mason School District Superintendent Dana Rosenbach
Fritz and her husband had recently bought their dream home and moved there to be closer to her mother, Rosenbach said
Andy Fritz ‘as an instructor was one of those people who took the extra time needed to make sure concepts and ideas were really sinking for his students,’ said Tawny Dotson, Clover Park Technical College’s vice president for strategic development
He was committed to the environment and to helping his students learn how best to work in the field prepare themselves to become environmental stewards, Dotson said
Jody Fritz was a dedicated educator who had recently started work at her school and made a deep impression, said North Mason School District Superintendent Dana Rosenbach.
Fritz and her husband had recently bought their dream home and moved there to be closer to her mother, Rosenbach said.
Andy Fritz ‘as an instructor was one of those people who took the extra time needed to make sure concepts and ideas were really sinking for his students,’ said Tawny Dotson, Clover Park Technical College’s vice president for strategic development.
He was committed to the environment and to helping his students learn how best to work in the field prepare themselves to become environmental stewards, Dotson said.
‘I’m in shock still,’ Sand Hill principal Jason Swaser told KOMO-TV.
‘I think it’s going to take me a while to process this still with how our staff is handling it and kids are handling it, it just seems unreal.’
The Fritzes were known as a friendly couple who shared a passion for running.
‘They were easygoing,’ said family friend Tim Paul.
‘Jody was always laughing and smiling and Andy had a quirky sense of humor.’
‘They were non-stop going. Helping people, selfless, never really thinking of themselves…just living life to the fullest everyday…’ Swaser said.
The Swedish and Canadian governments confirmed the deaths of their citizens, but the US Embassy in Mexico City confirmed only that there were ‘multiple’ American deaths and several injuries.
A statement said the embassy had staff on the ground assisting victims and loved ones.
Three generations of a family were among the eight Americans killed in a Tuesday bus crash in Mexico. Anna Behar, 46 (center), her 11-year-old son Daniel, and her 78-year-old mother Fanya Shamis (not pictured) were killed. Anna’s husband Moises (left) and their 15-year-old son David (right, muzzed) were injured
The family appeared to be frequent travelers, according to their Facebook profiles. Above, Anna Behar and her husband
Family say they are traveling to Florida to meet Moises and David when they return to the U.S.
About 20 people were injured but only four tourists – one Brazilian and three Americans – remained in local hospitals on Wednesday, according to prosecutors in Mexico’s Quintana Roo state.
Eight Americans were among the 12 dead in Tuesday’s Mexican bus crash, including three generations of a family.
The family were identified as a Mexican prosecutor spoke out on Wednesday to blame the crash on excessive speed and a negligent driver.
Fanya Shamis, 78, was on vacation with her daughter Anna, Anna’s husband Moises, and their sons David and Daniel when a bus they were taking to some Mayan ruins in southeastern Mexico crashed on Tuesday.
Shamis, her daughter and her youngest grandson Daniel, 11, died in the crash, while Moises and the elder boy David, 15, were injured.
Shamis’ death comes tragically less than a year after the passing of her husband Arkady, who died last February at the age of 83.
The Behars live in Lorton, Virginia, while Shamis lived in Coconut Creek, Florida.
Also among the dead is Canadian Stephanie Horwood, 42
Relative Israel Franco told WUSA that the family is heartbroken over the three deaths, and is planning to fly down to Florida to meet with Moises and his son when they return from Mexico.
It was previously reported that Moises was hospitalized after the crash.
Earlier in the day, one of Shamis’ other grandchildren, Benjamin Shabobo said that Mrs Behar and one of her sons were missing.
‘We don’t have really concrete information,’ Shababo said. ‘We’re all scared. It’s just really scary to process this in my head that possibly something really bad happened to them.’
Anna Behar’s mother Berta also spoke to the Sun-Sentinel, saying: ‘I don’t know what to do. We are going crazy trying to find out. We haven’t received any calls from Royal Caribbean to inform us of what happened.’
An online obituary shows that Shamis’ husband Arkady passed away in February at the age of 83.
The U.S. State Department said in a statement: ‘We express our heartfelt condolences to all those affected by this tragedy. We are in contact with local authorities, and will continue to monitor the situation. We have staff on the scene and at local hospitals to assist victims and loved ones.’
The nationalities of the others who were killed include two Swedes, a Canadian and a Mexican – who was the tour guide
The injured include seven Americans, two Swedes and three Canadians. Five of the injured were taken to the hospital and have since been released
Photos from the crime scene show bodies on the road
Also among the dead was Stephanie Horwood, 42, of Quebec, Canada. She is survived by her husband and two daughters who sustained minor injuries.
It’s unclear if the driver will face charges or not.
Twelve people on the bus died on Tuesday. Eight, including Shamis, were American. Two were Swedish, one was Canadian and one was Mexican, who was the tour guide. The injured include seven Americans, two Swedes and three Canadians. Five of the injured were taken to the hospital and have since been released.
The bus was carrying tourists from cruise ships docked in the port of Mahahual to Mayan ruins in Cacchoben when it ran off the road for an unknown reason.
The State Department said in a statement: ‘We express our heartfelt condolences to all those affected by this tragedy. We are in contact with local authorities, and will continue to monitor the situation. We have staff on the scene and at local hospitals to assist victims and loved ones.’
The bus was carrying tourists from cruise ships docked in the port of Mahahual to Mayan ruins in Cacchoben when it ran off the road for an unknown reason
The bus was carrying 31 passengers on a straight stretch of road with little traffic. The cause of the accident was not immediately known
The crash, which left another 18 injured, happened on a highway in the state of Quintana Roo, located on the eastern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula and well known as home to the Caribbean resort city of Cancun.
The bus was carrying 31 passengers on a straight stretch of road with little traffic. The cause of the accident was not immediately known.
Twenty-three of the passengers had arrived on the ships Celebrity Equinox and Serenade of the Seas, cruise owner Royal Caribbean Cruises told AFP.
‘We are doing all we can to care for our guests, including assisting with medical care and transportation,’ the cruise line tweeted.
Both ships docked in Mahahual on Tuesday and left later that afternoon.
Celebrity Equinox was on a seven-night Caribbean cruise and departed from Miami on Saturday. Serenade of the Seas left from Fort Lauderdale on Friday for a seven-night Caribbean cruise as well.
Eight Americans are believed to be among the dead in the Tuesday crash
In video images from the scene, shown by CTV News, the vehicle is resting on its side in vegetation off the two-lane highway, with some survivors lying on the pavement and others walking around.
American cruise ship passenger Chris Brawleym of Haslet, Texas, says he didn’t see the accident, but his bus of tourists came upon the scene minutes after the crash.
He says they had been driving about 35 to 40 minutes before the accident.
Brawley says the sky was clear and the road was dry, and he did not see any other vehicles involved.
People receive medical attention after a bus crash at the Chetumal-Mahahual highway
Royal Caribbean Cruises says 27 passengers from the Celebrity Equinox (left) and Serenade of the Seas (right) were on the overturned bus
Landmark: The bus was on its way to the ruins at Chacchoben, about 110 miles south of the popular resort town of Tulum
He did not see the crash, but says that ‘the bus clearly lost control somehow as there were swerve marks all over the road surface.’
Costa Maya Mahahual, the bus company involved, said in a statement that the bus was carrying tourists who had arrived to the coastal town of Mahahual aboard a cruise ship.
In addition to the tourists, a guide and driver were aboard the bus, the company said.
Quintana Roo is the Mexican state that receives the greatest number of international visitors, with many headed for Cancun’s beaches and legendary Maya ruins.