A boat transporting visitors to Blue Lagoon sank with about 100 people on board, one of whom would be pronounced dead later. Photo: Earyel Bowleg
STATEMENT FROM THE MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND TRANSPORT
Investigation of boating incident
The Ministry of Energy & Transport wishes to confirm that the Port Department will lead a multi-agency investigation into the boating incident which occurred on Tuesday in waters off New Providence.
Preliminary reports are that at approximately 9:30am the Islander III departed New Providence with about 140 passengers onboard.
About 30 minutes after departure, the vessel began to take on water and subsequently sank.
Unfortunately, a female passenger did not survive.
The Islander III is part of a fleet of vessels owned by an established company that is registered and regulated with the Port Department.
As a result of this incident, the Ministry wishes to advise of the suspension of all commercial ferries in fleet of the Islander III’s operator pending a safety review by the Port Department and The Bahamas Maritime Casualty Investigators.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the passenger who did not survive the unfortunate incident and those impacted.
The Ministry wishes to advise all boating operators to regularly adhere to safety protocols in the interests of crew and passengers.
Further information will be provided to members of the public as the investigation progresses.
15th November 2023
Ministry of Energy & Transport
Commonwealth of The Bahamas
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
PASSENGERS complained that panicking staff did not know what to do and provided no directions as their double-decker boat began sinking en route to Blue Lagoon Island yesterday.
People screamed and jumped overboard during the incident, which left a 75-year-old woman from Colorado, United States, dead.
One of the woman’s relatives lay beside her after the incident, rubbing her covered body for about thirty minutes as authorities swarmed the area. They were reportedly on the second stop of a five-day family vacation.
Two other passengers were taken to the hospital for care, and five staff members were among the 100 passengers on the boat, according to a statement from Blue Lagoon Island.
Videos showed people in life vests wrestling about what to do before they started jumping overboard.
One video showed a man administrating CPR to a caucasian woman.
A woman, Kelly Schissel, said in a TikTok clip that it took a while for passengers to realise the seriousness of their predicament.
She said as the boat neared the entrance to Blue Lagoon Island, the vessel suddenly leaned forward and remained there.
Situated on the vessel’s top deck, she said she looked over the edge of the boat and saw water coming in.
“We stayed leaning forward because we were starting to sink,” she said. “And then one of the crew members that was downstairs ran upstairs and was crying, freaking out, absolutely balling, grabbing a life jacket, and that’s when everybody was like, oh shit, this is real, something’s happening. Everybody else starts grabbing their life jackets.”
Ms Schissel said passengers delayed jumping off the boat because they were waiting for staff to tell them what to do.
“They never did because they were too busy crying and freaking out,” she said.
She added that the waves were rough and people struggled to stay above water.
“Yes it was warm, yes it was nice weather, yes the water wasn’t bad, but it was very wavy, so it was not as easy as it might have looked,” she said.
She said no one knew what to do when passengers arrived to shore, with one staff member telling her she didn’t have answers.
Eyewitness News aired an interview on its nightly newscast yesterday where another woman, Britaine Crittens, said 10 to 15 small children were on the boat.
“There was no direction what to do, no one helping anyone,” she said. “It was like pretty much survive on your own if you want to make it.”
Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings said rough seas in the area caused the boat to take on water a half-hour into the ride.
She said authorities responded in a “reasonably short period”.
Suemayah Abu-Douleh, Public Affairs Officer at the US Embassy, visited the incident scene and said: “We wanted to make sure our American Citizen Services was available for all American citizens who need any support or need any services.”
On Monday, the Department of Meteorology alerted small craft operators to expect deteriorating marine conditions.
Chief Meteorological Officer Kaylinda Ward-Forbes told The Tribune yesterday: “Boaters know that when you have gale force wind, gale force winds are high enough to probably turn over a small craft. That’s why when we expect any kind of wind speeds near gale, we advise small craft operators to remain in port.”
She said the weather could have contributed to the accident.
“It may not be the only factor because I am not aware of, you know, the persons operating the boat and how persons were secured on the boat,” she said.
Tourism Minister Chester Cooper told reporters that he was not fully briefed on the incident after an unrelated event yesterday, adding: “Clearly accidents sometimes do happen.”
“This is something that we don’t like to see for residents or our guests,” he added. “No doubt the Port Department is investigating the matter, and if need be, I’ll have more to say on it later.”
Comments
BMW 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Clearly boat operators need to be held responsible for their actions! Is the boat rated for 100 people? Clearly the staff were not trained in any way shape or form, what a clear and complete FUBAR boat trip that clearly should not have taken place.
zemilou 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Where these regulations in place?
CHAPTER 278A COMMERCIAL RECREATIONAL WATERCRAFT. COMMERCIAL RECREATIONAL WATERCRAFT REGULATIONS.
An Authority shall not register or issue a licence to an operator of a craft unless the operator is certified by the authority or a body recognized by the authority as having successfully completed basic training in [irrelevant items from list deleted]— (a) rescue procedures; (d) First Aid; (i) use of personal floatation device;
In the interest of safety — (a) all operators shall provide each person operating or riding a craft with an approved personal floatation device;
IslandWarrior 5 months, 2 weeks ago
The lack of qualified engineering testing for converted watercraft and the use of vessels with inappropriate haul-to-high ratios pose significant safety risks in the Bahamas. This lax approach to safety regulations has been exacerbated by the inaction of both administrations, who have failed to prioritize the well-being of Bahamians and visitors alike. The recent incident is a stark reminder of the potential consequences of this negligence. Both administrations must take immediate action to address these safety concerns and implement stricter regulations to ensure the safety of all those who offer service to the tourist industry.
realfreethinker 5 months, 2 weeks ago
There can only be one administration at a time. Only one admin can do anything about the status quo
ThisIsOurs 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Govt is continuous, the way out of our mess are parties that work together to solve problems. The election results would depend on who's better at managing the change.
We get this mess because the bottom has risen to the top and it promotes it's own. The bottom is exposed to the wind when crisis hits. Then it becomes obvious that, oh yes, the brain isnt in the bottom it's in the top. That's why we get stupid statements from board members like "I support nepotism". The bottom at the top.
Currently we fight over who's most incompetent and least corrupt. Both parties give us a group of truly unqualified candidates. Why is Vaughn Miller at environment when the PMs focus is climate change? It's a clear signal to me that it's an intangible goal that noone really expects to do anything about but it makes for great pics, speeches and world stage grandstanding as we simultaneously cut down all the hills in Andros for dirt and kill the mangroves and dredge all the harbours for more mass tourism.
Dawes 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Give it a couple of weeks and it will all be forgotten. Seem to remember the boat operator in Exuma just re-opened under a different name. For the next few weeks i expect a lot of talk so that we make people think we are doing something and then no change.
AnObserver 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Unlike the Exuma situation, this was a legitimate accident. This ferry has been running for decades and was built professionally. The Four Cs boat was built in a backyard by unqualified people, exploded due to their lack of knowledge and negligence, but yet somehow they weren't held accountable.
rosiepi 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Usually a “legitimate accident” is one caused by unforeseen circumstances, this doesn’t make that grade. When someone sets out with 140 souls aboard in rough seas, in a vessel ill equipped to handle those conditions, despite marine warnings, and by all accounts with an inexperienced crew, any adverse results are no accident.
However this is the Bahamas and tho the owner dubs himself a ‘severe weather spotter’ here abouts, but turning away 140 paying customers?? The charge ‘criminally negligent’ will not be sought.
B_I_D___ 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Actually...this is the actual statement from the Met office...it was issued Noon on Monday saying Tuesday EVENING...this event happened Tuesday morning...
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT Issued at NOON Monday 13th November, 2023 A Gale Watch will come into effect for the Extreme Northwest Bahamas Tuesday evening (14th November) and for the remainder of the Northwest and Central Bahamas on Wednesday (15th November). An Excessive Rainfall Watch will come into effect Wednesday morning.
AnObserver 5 months, 2 weeks ago
You can see the sea state in the images and videos floating around. It wasn't a rough day out. Not flat calm, but a normal day.
ThisIsOurs 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Our country is truly laughable. We elect people over beer and tshirt and then expect excellence.
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