Rogue Wave Sweeps Twin Sisters to Their Deaths

Twin sisters who went out for a morning stroll along a beach have become the latest victims of the notorious rogue waves of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Family members say Barbara Thomas of McKinney, Texas, and Beverly Skripsky of Scottsdale, Ariz., were on the third day of their vacation when the 67-year-olds drowned after a massive wave swept them into the ocean on Oct. 22. "We are all still in shock from this unbelievable tragedy," Skripsky's son Matt tells People. "Dangerous waves ended the lives of two wonderful women." Relatives say the sisters, both grandmothers, were keen travelers who had recently returned from a vacation in Dubai.

The area is known for strong currents as well as huge waves, and the US Embassy warns that not all hazardous beaches in the area are clearly marked. "I can't imagine how fast it was moving but it went from 10 feet to 15 feet in seconds," Steve Thomas, Barbara's husband, tells NBC 5. "They found two women out at sea and I'm thinking 'great—they found them' and I say 'are they okay?' and he says 'I'm sorry to tell you sir, but they’re deceased.'" He says it wasn't a hazard he had been aware of and he hopes sharing news of the deaths will save lives. (In July, a French philosopher drowned while trying to rescue a child.)