] U.S. sailor dies in Mexico; boat aground

By MANUEL DE LA CRUZ, Associated Press Writer: A 78-year-old
California man was found dead in southern Mexico after his yacht ran
aground near shore, the U.S. Embassy said Sunday.

The body of a man believed to be John J. Long, of Alameda,
California, was found floating Saturday afternoon by his sailboat
near the town of Puerto Madero, just north of Mexico's border with
Guatemala, embassy spokeswoman Judith Bryan said.

It was unclear how Long died or why the vessel ran aground. Bryan
said he sent a distress signal from the boat "Culin," which bore
Irish, Mexican and U.S. flags. The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed its
Alameda center received an alert.

Authorities in Puerto Madero told the U.S. Embassy the boat may have
encountered electrical problems, she added.

Meanwhile, Mexican authorities were investigating whether the boat
was linked to organized crime or drug trafficking, after they
discovered a false bottom, presumably for cargo, said an official
with Mexico's navy who asked not to be named for security reasons. He
said Long was found with bruises all over his body.

Residents of a nearby town saw two people carrying suitcases leave
the boat, said Saul Gomez, head of a local fishermen's group.

Two people were detained in connection with the incident, state
police spokesman Bernardo Gomez said, but it was not clear if they
were the same pair seen exiting the boat.

Long was born in Ireland but was a U.S. citizen, Bryan said.

The "Culin," a 48-foot recreational boat, is registered under Long's
name in Alameda, according to the Web site Boatinfoworld. com, which
collects public records.