Families Sue San Pedro Resort Over US Tourists’ Deaths

The families of the three young women from Massachusetts, USA, that died from carbon monoxide poisoning last year at Royal Kahal Beach Resort in San Pedro have filed a federal lawsuit against the resort. The family announced the lawsuit at a press conference in Massachusetts today.

The three women, Wafae El Arar, Imane Mallah, and Kaoutar Naqqad, were found unresponsive in their suite on February 22 after they were not seen for two days.

Initial reports by Belizean authorities suspected drug overdose after finding the women with froth around their mouths. Alcohol and “gummies” were also discovered inside the room.

Belizean authorities had also initially ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning after conducting two separate tests for carbon monoxide and “found nothing.”

However, those claims were later overturned by official toxicology findings from authorities in the US. Those reports confirmed carbon monoxide poisoning as the sole cause of death.

The lawsuit alleges the resort and associated companies prioritised profit over safety. It targets the resorts’ developers, contractors, and the online travel platform Expedia.

According to Attorney Tom Scolaro, representing the families, “This was not an unavoidable accident that as we allege in the complaint, it was a foreseeable result of decisions that put safety last and bottom line Profits first and our legal system exists to hold those responsible to account in immediate aftermaths of their deaths.”

“This case will test whether companies that profit from American consumers can be held to account when preventable tragedies occur,” Scolaro added, “or whether they can avoid all responsibility by hiding behind borders and technicalities.”

He warned the defendants will likely fight to move the case to Belize, where damages are severely limited. “In Belize, wrongful death awards are decided by a judge and limited to economic loss, which could be zero,” he said.

The women’s families say they are seeking justice and accountability to prevent future tragedies. “ We cannot bring them back, but we can speak for them,” said one family member during the conference.