Two American tourists died in separate drowning incidents at Celebration Key, Carnival Cruise Line’s private resort on Grand Bahama Island Friday, prompting authorities to open investigations into their deaths.
“Our lifeguards and medical team responded to two separate emergency incidents at Celebration Key on Friday—one in the lagoon and one at the beach,” a Carnival Cruise spokesperson told Newsweek in an email Sunday. “Sadly, both guests have passed away…Our thoughts and prayers are with the guests and their families and our Care Team is providing assistance.”
Why It Matters
The coincidence of two fatal water emergencies on the same day heightened scrutiny of protocols at private resort destinations linked to major cruise operators.
The deaths occurred within a three-hour span at the newly opened, $600 million Celebration Key complex, which Carnival launched last month.
What To Know
Officers with the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) responded to two separate drowning incidents within hours of each other on Friday, the agency said in a press release.
In the first, officers found an “unresponsive” 79-year-old man who had been snorkeling off a resort beach shortly before noon. He was pulled from the water by lifeguards who performed CPR, but he was later pronounced dead by medical personnel.
Just hours later, around 2:30 p.m. local time, a 74-year-old woman was found unresponsive in a resort swimming pool, according to the release. CPR was also attempted and she was also pronounced dead.
The identities of the victims were not released, although police said that autopsies would be completed to determine the causes of death.
Carnival Cruise Line confirmed both victims had been passengers on separate Carnival ships—the 79-year-old man was aboard the Mardi Gras and the 74-year-old woman was aboard the Carnival Elation.
Meanwhile on Saturday, a 63-year-old American man was attacked by a shark around 1 p.m. local time while spearfishing off Big Grand Cay in the Bahamas, according to the RBPF. He was treated at a local clinic for “severe injuries” and was airlifted to the U.S. for more treatment, ABC News reported.
What Happens Next?
The RBPF said autopsies will be performed to determine the precise causes of death in both drowning cases.
Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the drownings are ongoing.
Any official findings, including autopsy results and final police reports, will be central to determining whether negligence, preexisting medical conditions, environmental factors or other causes contributed to the deaths.
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