Cave divers Alejandro Álvarez and Alberto Nava, members of the Tulum Speleological Project and discoverers of Naia’s skeleton in 2007, have denounced an extremely serious incident: the destruction of human remains and Pleistocene fauna over 20,000 years old inside Hoyo Negro, considered the most important underwater archaeological site on the Yucatán Peninsula.
During scientific work carried out for the National Institute of Anthropology and History, the researchers documented the intrusion of five foreign divers from Brazil who deliberately ignored official signs prohibiting access to the site.
Without a guide, without supervision, and with a clear lack of technical skill, they descended to the bottom of the pit, irreversibly altering a delicate sediment that held key evidence about the first inhabitants of the continent.
According to Nava’s testimony, the damage was significant: the intruders removed skeletal remains that had remained intact for millennia.
A puma skeleton approximately 15,000 years old was overturned, its canines completely fractured; a prehistoric bear—a species previously unknown in the region—was moved and handled, compromising its scientific value.
He stated that these actions destroyed irreplaceable information about humanity’s distant past and Pleistocene ecosystems.
The identified leader of the group, Lucas Costa Dos Santos, allegedly entered the site without authorization and without respecting the regulations established by Mexican authorities. Furthermore, it was discovered that the group did not have a local guide and was linked to an informal tourism operation, highlighting a serious failure in the supervision and regulation of these activities.
For his part, Alejandro Álvarez warned that this is not an isolated incident. On numerous occasions, untrained teams have illegally accessed protected caves, jeopardizing not only their own safety but also a unique world heritage site.
Despite the existence of official signage and clear restrictions, these are systematically ignored.
The call to action is unequivocal: the destruction of Hoyo Negro represents a loss not only for Mexico but for all of humanity. A firm response is demanded from the National Institute of Anthropology and History, as well as the urgent collaboration of local authorities, diving centers, tourism service providers, and the community at large.
He asserted that today, more than ever, coordinated action is required to stop the looting and negligence.
He emphasized that what has happened cannot be repeated, since Mexico’s underwater heritage is being destroyed before our very eyes. And silence, in this case, is also complicity.
Source: Tulum al Minuto
