Mistaken gunshot sound closes Mexico`s Cancun International airport for three hours

Cancun`s reputation as a getaway has been tarnished by waves of violence and deaths since September of last year, when the Jalisco cartel began killing there.

According to the National Guard, the Cancún International Airport in Mexico was rocked by loud booms on March 28 and several flights were halted for about three hours after reports of gunfire were received. Videos on social media show passengers rushing out of a terminal.

The Guard said no gunshots had been fired and that the bangs may have been caused by someone knocking over the vertical display stands in the terminal.

In a statement, the airport explained the alarm was caused by three signboards that fell after being inadvertently pushed over. This caused noise that caused people to run for the exits.

Cancún's reputation as a laid-back getaway has been tarnished by a wave of violence and deaths. The Jalisco cartel has been committing murders in Cancún since September, and authorities found four bodies dumped last week. Authorities found most of the bodies dumped in vacant properties.

Mexican tourism is Mexico's top money maker, but violence has plagued the Caribbean coast. Two Canadians were killed near Cancún in January because of a debt between two international gangs engaged in trafficking drugs and weapons, prosecutors claimed.

In late October, two tourists were killed in the laid back destination of Tulum, farther south in the Mexican state of Yucatan. One was a California travel blogger born in India, while the other was from Germany.

With inputs from AP

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