Two Carnival
Cruise Line passengers tragically drowned on the same day while visiting Celebration
Key, the company’s new private destination in Grand Bahama.
The incidents, which occurred separately on Friday, involved a 79-year-old man
and a 74-year-old woman, both of whom were traveling with family.
In a statement
shared with NBC
News, Carnival confirmed that one guest drowned in the sea while snorkeling
and the other in a lagoon at the resort-like property. “One guest was sailing
with family on Mardi Gras and one guest was sailing with family on Carnival
Elation,” the cruise line said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the guests
and their families, and our Care Team is providing assistance.”
Celebration Key,
which opened earlier this year, offers a mix of attractions designed
exclusively for Carnival passengers, including a beach club, restaurants, a
water park and calm lagoons for swimming.
According to the
Royal Bahamas Police Force, the first emergency was reported just before noon.
Officers were alerted to a 79-year-old man who became unresponsive while
snorkeling. Lifeguards pulled him from the water and performed CPR, but he was
later pronounced dead by a doctor.
A few hours later,
around 2:30 p.m., police responded to another incident involving a 74-year-old
woman. Authorities said she was swimming in a pool when she became
unresponsive. Despite lifeguards’ efforts to revive her, she too was pronounced
dead at the scene.
“An autopsy will
be performed on both victims to assist with determining the exact cause of
death,” police said. “The investigation continues in both matters.”
Neither Carnival
nor local authorities have released the identities of the victims out of
respect for their families.
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