Bee swarm in northern Mexico leaves 2 dead, 2 seriously injured

Two people were killed in northern Mexico after being attacked by a swarm of bees while working outdoors, according to local officials. Another two were seriously injured.

The incident happened Monday near the community of La Urraca in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. Local officials said the victims were carrying out ranch work when they were surrounded by the swarm.

Local media reported that the victims who died were a man and his grandson. The two survivors were hospitalized with serious injuries from multiple stings.

Civil Protection personnel and police cordoned off the ranch while waiting for investigators from the state prosecutor’s office to conduct forensic work.

The incident comes just days after a similar tragedy in Brazil. On Friday, a 74-year-old man died after being attacked by a swarm of bees in front of a supermarket in the city of Itapetininga. Eleven others, including firefighters and paramedics, were injured while trying to help, according to local officials.

Bee attacks, sometimes involving swarms of Africanized honeybees, have caused repeated fatalities in Latin America. The bees are known for their aggressive defense of hives and can swarm in large numbers when disturbed, according to experts.