Tour operator loses license for 5 more years

Vance Cabral, the tour operator accused of negligence in the death of a diver and causing great trauma to three others, has had his license revoked for a minimum of five more years. A release from the Belize Tourism Board states that the Tour Operators Licensing Committee, following a November second meeting, reconvened today to consider disciplinary measures against Cabral, owner of Advance Diving Tours of Placencia. The Committee concluded that Cabral was grossly negligent in his actions on October twenty-second, 2005 when he allowed divers under his care, Abigail Brinkman, Nancy Masters, Yahuta Maedo and John Bain, to leave his boat, which had broken down and was drifting out to sea beyond the reef. The tourists floated for several days and while Masters, Maedo and Bain were rescued, Brinkman, the only diver without a wetsuit, succumbed to the ordeal. In making its decision the committee noted that Cabral’s behaviour had also placed Belize’s tour operating profession in disrepute.