Hurricane Odile- Two Brits missing in Mexico after yacht overturns

by Jessica Best on 22 Sep 2014 Two Brits are missing after a hurricane in Mexico overturned the yacht they were living on.

Paul Whitehouse and Simone Wood, from Wolverhampton and London, were in La Paz in Baja California when Hurricane Odile hit the Baja California peninsula last Sunday.

It is thought their yacht overturned, and the couple has not been seen since.

The couple is thought to have been living in La Paz for around a year. Mr Whitehouse is believed to be a scuba diving instructor in the city.

Helicopters have been used to search for the couple, according to local reports.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: 'We are in touch with the local authorities and are providing consular assistance to the families at this difficult time.'

The British Embassy in Mexico has advised British nationals in Baja California and Baja California Sur affected by the hurricane to leave through Los Cabos International airport.

A spokesman for the embassy told the BBC: 'We are urgently working with authorities on the ground in Mexico to ensure the safety of British nationals following Hurricane Odile, and have sent staff from our embassy to assist in this.'
Three people have been confirmed dead following Hurricane Odile - two Korean citizens and a German man who reportedly died from a heart attack.

Mexican authorities have deployed more than 8,000 army, navy and federal police personnel to prevent looting in the area.

The hurricane affected power and water supplies, as well as phone services, triggering widespread looting.
Power has been restored to around one-fifth of customers in the resort cities of Los Cabos, with 200 electricity workers dispatched to the area.