A family is in mourning after a tragic accident took place on Tuesday, October 20226, in Bimini.
A 36-year-old mother from England drowned while attempting to save her two sons from a powerful current during a snorkeling cruise excursion.
According to news reports, the unnamed woman was snorkeling with her husband and two children when a strong current carried the boys further away from their parents. Her motherly instincts kicked in and went after them, but she was always caught up in the current as well.
Local water taxi captain Linty Stuart of L&A Water Taxi spotted “frantic hands waving in the distance” and led the rescue effort, according to USAToday.
His crew and some bystanders pulled the two boys to safety, but large waves which were reportedly as high as seven or eight feet made it difficult to reach the mother.
She was found face down in the water.
The woman was brought to the North Bimini Ferry Dock, where she was given CPR. After being taken to a local clinic she was pronounced dead.
Foul play is not suspected, and an autopsy is planned to determine the exact cause of death.
Several reports about this story confirm that the family was visiting North Bimini while on a cruise. The specific ship or cruise line has not been released by authorities.
While cruise tracking data does show Jewel of the Seas in Bimini on Tuesday as the only ship in port for the day, several other cruise lines regularly stop here as well. In the month of October, cruise ships will call on Bimini 13 times.
One witness who was present called the mother “a hero” and said that the father also entered the water to help, with bystanders assisting in the boys’ rescue.
The local water taxi captain who helped in the rescue later said the events happened “really really fast” and left him in shock, while another person described the scene as “scary” and “sad.”
One news outlet detailed a witness as saying, “It was truly terrible and nobody’s fault. Just two boys who were eager to get in the water and then things went crazy fast. Two of the best parents I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”
The British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said in a statement that it is in contact with local authorities and providing support to the family:
“Our thoughts are with the family of a British woman who has died in the Bahamas. We are in contact with the local authorities and providing support to her family.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with the husband, the two boys, and the rest of the family during this difficult time.
Below is the Royal Bahamas Police Force news release about the incident:
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