TORONTO — A frightening incident for a G Adventures group in Puerto Vallarta earlier this week no doubt made the trip more memorable than travellers would have liked.
Thankfully no one was hurt in the incident, which saw the group’s tour bus commandeered and set ablaze with all their belongings still inside.
According to Victoria, B.C.-based CHEK News, the group was touring in Puerto Vallarta when they were caught up in the cartel violence that swept Jalisco state and beyond.
Driving along one of the city’s highways early on Feb. 22, the group saw people running and frantically waving their hands as their bus was forced to a stop amid the chaos. Armed men arrived and told the travellers to get off the bus. The men then lit the bus on fire, with everything inside, including luggage and passports. Two B.C. residents on the tour told CHEK they were texting and emailing ‘I love you’ messages to family members as gunshots rang out.
Soon a passing truck picked up the group and drove them past the barricades, then another stroke of luck – a Mexican military vehicle took them to a nearby naval base where they got food, clothes and a place to stay. From there the group will make their way to Mexico City, to the Canadian Embassy for emergency passports.
Travelweek reached out to G Adventures to find out more.
“On Feb. 22, at approximately 9 a.m. local time, a vehicle transporting a group of our travellers from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara was stopped by unauthorized individuals on the highway. The travellers and staff vacated the vehicle, before the vehicle was set alight and used as a road block. Numerous vehicle fires and incidents were reported across the state of Jalisco in the following hours,” said G Adventures.
“The safety and wellbeing of our travellers and staff is always our top priority and we can confirm that all members of the group are safe and are currently staying on a military base while onward travel logistics are arranged.
“We are working closely with our Chief Experience Officer, who remains with the group, and the impacted travellers to assist with next steps including notifying embassies, contacting family members and supporting onward travel plans.”
