Boating accident in Bahamas claims life of American woman

An unfortunate boating accident in the Bahamas has resulted in the death of a 75-year-old American tourist from Colorado. The pleasure craft was headed to the Blue Lagoon Island when the incident occurred.

The exact circumstances of her death have not been ascertained as yet. Fellow cruise passenger, Kelly Schissel, captured the incident as it unfolded and shared it on social media. One of her uploads shows her panicking and saying, “Our boat is sinking. Everybody is freaking out.”

The video also made it evident that other passengers were in distress, yelling and screaming, while some jumped into the water.

Reports from police officials suggest that around 9:30 am, the craft left the ferry docks, carrying more than 100 passengers onboard towards the Blue Lagoon Island.

Half an hour into the trip, the craft came across choppy seas which led to it taking on water. As a result, the boat became partially submerged in the waters surrounding the Blue Lagoon Island.

The American woman who lost her life was the sole casualty of this accident and was on a five-day family cruise vacation, on which the second stop was the Bahamas.

The official statement given by the Blue Lagoon Island states that around 11 am, a vessel in the island’s vicinity began to take on water and became partially submerged. The incident occurred when the vessel was closing in on the island.

The island immediately dispatched rescue worker who managed to locate the passengers and five staff members who were onboard, bringing them to safety. Two passengers had to be taken to a hospital for medical assistance.

Authorities have stated that all passengers and staff that were onboard have been accounted for. Since most of the passengers were a part of a cruise tour of the Caribbean, the Blue Lagoon Island informed the ship, local authorities and the United States Embassy of the incident.

As of now, local investigative bodies are looking into the accident to cover all bases and make sure there are no signs of foul play or negligence.