A boat of tourists and cruise ship passengers in Nassau, Bahamas capsized yesterday, killing one passenger.
Yesterday, a Blue Lagoon Island boat carrying tourists and passengers of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship capsized in the water near Nassau in the Bahamas. One of the passengers, a 75 year old woman, was killed by the incident. The Island is a popular tourist attraction that includes attractions like interacting with dolphins and water sports.
Multiple TikTok videos show the boat tipped over and passengers in the water or being escorted onto lifeboats.
A video posted yesterday by TikTok user Paige Liebs (@paigeliebs) shows passengers transferring from the capsized boat, passengers wearing life vests in the water—with which the boat was equipped—and views of the Blue Lagoon Island boat nearly on its side.
@paigeliebs Pov: your ship sinks in the bahamas But genuinely, our hearts goes out to the family who lost someone dear to them + to all those who were injured. (Jake + I are okay and got out quickly) #nassaubahamas #royalcaribbean #bluelagoon #shipwreck #ferry #boat ♬ original sound – Paige
In an interview with the Daily Dot, Liebs said that the Blue Lagoon Island boat picked passengers up from their Royal Caribbean cruise ship for a beach day on Blue Lagoon Island, a small island near Nassau. Thirty minutes into the 45 minute excursion, Liebs told the Daily Dot that the Blue Lagoon Island boat “hit a couple big waves, which made the front right of the ship (double decker) start flooding with water.”
“The captain tried to level the boat out, but there was too much water on the boat already,” Liebssaid. “I believe one of the engines blew out.”
One of Liebs’ fellow passengers, an older American woman, died. Liebs said that the woman had an oxygen tank with her on the boat. A local boat driver posted a TikTok of the woman’s body lying on a lifeboat. Multiple outlets have reported that the deceased was 75, Liebs said she was 74.
A lifeboat came within minutes of the boat sinking, and Liebs says that some people had decided to jump into the water in the meantime. She and her boyfriend were able to jump onto the lifeboat “right away,” though they were mildly injured.
Liebs also said she was aware of two other people hospitalized and that a baby received CPR on a lifeboat.
“Lots of people were lined up for the medic on the cruise ship,” Liebs said.
According to Liebs, multiple boats and excursions had been cancelled yesterday in the area because of the wind. But because the Blue Lagoon Island excursion was still available, she and her boyfriend booked it.
“We later found out that the weather man had told people to stay off of boats and out of the water because the waves were so big,” Liebs said.
Another video of the incident, posted yesterday by Sarah Plourde, shows passengers in the water, yelling and screaming, while wearing life vests.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Blue Lagoon Island. In a statement to Cruise Radio, an outlet covering the cruise industry, the company said that all passengers onboard have been accounted for, and were all cruise ship guests.
“The Royal Bahamas Defense Force, Blue Lagoon, and other vessels all assisted in getting people to shore and we are grateful for their help,” the statement reads.
