Is Traveling to Rocky Point Safe?
Despite a State Department travel warning, experts say traveling to popular vacation destinations like Rocky Point is still safe.
PHOENIX — As Mexican authorities continue to investigate the deaths of two elderly sisters from Arizona, experts are offering travel advice for those heading to Sonora, Mexico this holiday weekend.
The 72 and 82-year-old women were attacked by armed men and murdered while on the way to Caborca from Sonoyta on Friday morning. They were found deceased inside an SUV that had rolled over and was riddled with bullets.
Officials located a stolen truck with firearms and ammunition inside believed to have been involved in the attack. The criminal group responsible is still at large.
“We’re very sorry for this. We weren’t expecting anything like that to happen to anyone, not a Mexican national, not an American National,” said Maria Fernanda Arreguin, the Consult for the Protection of Mexican Nationals in Phoenix.
Tips for travel to Sonora, Mexico
Maria Fernanda Arreguin works at the Consulate General of Mexico’s Phoenix office and routinely gets questions from Arizonans seeking advice on how to safely travel to Sonora, specifically popular vacation destinations like Rocky Point.
She says travel to the area is safe and provided several tips:
- Start early
- Stop in public places
- Check the maintenance of your vehicle before your trip
- Use the Heroes Paisanos app or website to get current information about travel and traffic
“We tend to focus on the things that are going wrong. And there are a lot of things that are going well in Mexico,” Arreguin said.
The U.S. Department of State has issued a travel advisory for Sonora telling Americans to reconsider visiting the area due to crime and kidnapping.
“The federal government and also the local governments have been working so hard to get security through everywhere in Mexico,” Arreguin said.
Concerns over Sonora’s safety are familiar to Mike Jarvinen and his wife, Lynelle. It’s part of what inspired Lynelle to start their business nearly 20 years ago. It’s called Head Out to Rocky Point and it is a shuttle service that brings groups from Phoenix to the beach destination.
“She worked in Phoenix in the reservation business for Rocky Point reservations and just heard the need of how to get down there, and people didn’t want to drive their cars, and they’re a little leery about the whole situation, so we just started it,” Jarvinen said.
Jarvinen said his wife travels to the Rocky Point area three days a week and has never had an issue. He recommends travelers leave early and during the day to avoid potholes or bad road conditions. He also encouraged visitors to make sure they have their passports and to be courteous and respectful.
“I find it very safe. I know the police department in Sonoyta, the fire department, as well as in Rocky Point, and they’ve been very helpful for us and in turn, we’ve been helpful for them,” Jarvinen said. “They have laws down there, same laws we have here, and you just have to abide by them.”
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