The UK’s 5,000-plus holidaymakers in Cancun have been spared the full wrath of Hurricane Dean.
It had been feared the Yucatan Peninsula would suffer a direct hit from the hurricane, which was yesterday upgraded to a rare category 5 storm – the strongest measurement.
However, as Hurricane Dean moved towards Mexico this morning, damage to top tourist spots is not expected to be as bad as first feared.
The Federation of Tour Operators said 9,000 UK holidaymakers were in the Cancun area at the end of last week. Over 3,500 have returned home, some cutting their holidays short, as operators flew in extra aircraft to carry passengers.
Customers on the island of Cozumel were moved to the mainland as a precaution.
The FTO says 5,500 holidaymakers are still in the Cancun area, many of which spent the night in shelters.
Hurricane Dean now looks set to cross the Peninsula and head towards the Gulf of Mexico, where warm seas mean it is likely to gain strength once more.
By Lisa James
