Two Americans are dead after separate drowning incidents at a multi-million dollar “exclusive” vacation destination in the Bahamas, according to authorities.
The drownings happened on Friday on the island of Grand Bahama, about 100 miles off the coast of Florida, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a release. Both occurred at Celebration Key, the $600 million tourist space opened by Carnival Cruise Line earlier this summer.
The first drowning happened just before noon, according to police. A 79-year-old man was snorkeling at the beach when he was found unresponsive. A lifeguard pulled him from the water and performed CPR, but the man was ultimately pronounced dead.
At around 2:30 p.m., a 74-year-old woman who had been swimming in a pool was found unresponsive. She was pulled from the water by a lifeguard who then performed CPR, but the woman was also pronounced dead.
Police said autopsies will be performed and the investigation into both deaths remains ongoing. Authorities have not yet released the identities of the man or woman.
In a statement to KTLA parent company Nexstar, a spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Lines confirmed the guests were traveling with their families on different ships, Mardi Gras and Carnival Elation. The former typically sails out of Port Canaveral in Orlando, according to the Carnival Cruise Lines’ website, while the latter has routes out of Jacksonville, Florida.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the guests and their families and our Care Team is providing assistance,” the statement added.
Celebration Key officially opened in July and features five main areas comprised of lagoons, pools, a swing bar, a shopping space, and more, according to Carnival Cruise Lines. The company expects roughly two million guests will visit Celebration Key each year. Come 2028, that number is expected to double.
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