catamaran capsize bahamas

'Our boat is sinking!': Video shows terrifying moments ferry sank in Bahamas, killing 1

A 75-year-old American woman is dead after a double-decker ferry carrying cruise ship passengers to a popular tourist island sank in the Bahamas, local officials said.

The incident took place Tuesday as the boat departed Paradise Island, Nassau, while ferrying tourists to Blue Lagoon Island, a spokesperson with The Royal Bahamas Police Force confirmed to USA TODAY.

The tourist destination is located about three miles northeast of Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas.

Frightening video taken from the scene shows passengers wearing orange life vests around their neck, clinging to one side of the ferry as the vessel sinks into Caribbean turquoise waters.

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At least one American citizen died

Police said the ferry left a dock in Paradise Island about 9:30 a.m. with about 100 passengers on board, the Nassau Guardian reported.

"The vessel experienced rough seas in the area, which resulted in the boat taking on water and becoming submerged in waters just outside of Blue Lagoon," police chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings told the outlet.

Police reported a 75-year-old woman from Colorado died in the incident, according to the outlet.

Her identity and cause of death were not immediately known.

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Passengers were reportedly all from a cruise ship

According to a statement released online from Blue Lagoon Island, the passengers on board the ferry were from a cruise ship.

The accident took place as the vessel was approaching Blue Lagoon Island, the statement said and emergency teams from the island "quickly arrived to render assistance."

“Passengers and five staff members were located and brought to the island, and two passengers were taken to the hospital for additional care," the statement continues.

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'Our boat is sinking'

"Out boat is sinking," Kelly Schissel, an American tourist on board the vessel, is heard saying in a TikTok video she filmed as the boat took on water. "Everybody is freaking out."

Chaos and screaming is heard in the background of the video which shows people with life jackets around their necks, some leaning over the boat looking into the water watching in horror as it sinks.

"I'm on the top floor of a ferry," Schissel says as she continued to film, the boat seen tipped on its side into choppy waters.

At one point, people are seen jumping off what appears to be the back of the boat into the water as others on board continue to shout.

About a half dozen people in the shot are seen swimming towards another boat stopped a short distance from the ferry.

"We were almost there... we weren't actually that close to shore it just kind of looked like it," Schissel said in a follow up video on TikTok shot after she made it to land.

She said when water began pouring into the boat, many passengers were waiting for instruction from crew members, but they reportedly did not give any.

So when they saw someone jump into the rough water, she said, they followed in suit with life jackets and swam to a nearby boat until other boats arrived to help in the rescue effort.

The conditions of those transported to the hospital were not immediately known Wednesday.

In addition to local authorities, according to the Blue Lagoon statement, the island alerted the cruise ship and the U.S.Embassy about the accident.

The statement said the organization would release more details as they become available

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.

Royal Caribbean passenger dies after excursion boat sinks on way to private island in Bahamas

The two-tiered catamaran was carrying the passengers to the blue lagoon island near nassau, bahamas, by ap and nbc6 • published november 15, 2023 • updated on november 16, 2023 at 9:38 am.

A U.S. tourist died in the Bahamas after an excursion boat carrying more than 100 people sank while traveling to a private island, police said Wednesday.

Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings told The Associated Press that the unidentified 74-year-old woman from Broomfield, Colorado , was on a five-day vacation with her family when the boat sank late Tuesday morning.

The rest of the passengers and crew members were rescued. Two other unidentified people were taken to a medical facility, police said, but their conditions were not immediately known.

It wasn’t immediately clear how the 74-year-old woman died. Police said in a statement that the woman was found unresponsive as they helped pull the passengers and crew members from the water. They said she was given CPR and then taken to a dock where she was declared dead.

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A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean confirmed that the woman had been a passenger on one of their ships and was participating in a shore excursion.

"We are saddened to hear that one of our guests passed away following an accident on a shore excursion in Nassau, Bahamas," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Our hearts are with the families involved and our Care Team has been activated to support them during this difficult time."

Kelly Schissell, a passenger on the catamaran, recalled the moments the ferry went down.

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"So we were on a two tiered ferry to Blue Lagoon. We were almost there. We started to stop and turn to go into the Blue Lagoon area. And we kind of, I kind of thought like the captain was trying to be silly and like whip a shootie because we all kind of went forward, and the water kind of splashed up. And then all of a sudden, we stayed leaning forward," Schissell said.

Schissell also said that people didn't jump into the water right away as they were awaiting instructions from the crew, but never got them.

"You wonder why people didn't jump in right away. We were kind of waiting for the staff to tell us what to do, which they never did because they were too busy crying and freaking out," Schissell added.

Life vests were available, and those aboard were wearing them, according to authorities.

Police said the double-deck catamaran began taking on water after departing Paradise Island with a group of tourists headed to Blue Lagoon Island, a popular destination located just northeast of the capital of Nassau.

A video posted on social media showed some passengers yelling as the catamaran began listing on its right side, prompting tourists to slowly start jumping into the water as they swam toward nearby boats.

Police said the Royal Bahamas Defense Force also helped with the rescue, as well as nearby pleasure craft.

Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.

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Terrifying video shows people jump from sinking bahamas boat that claimed life of us tourist.

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An elderly American tourist died Tuesday after a ferry carrying cruise ship passengers to the Blue Lagoon Island in the Bahamas began to sink in choppy waters.

The privately operated ferry, which offers popular excursions from cruise ships that stop in the Bahamas, had been headed from Paradise Island in Nassau to the Blue Lagoon Island when it started to sink.

Terrifying footage captured panicked passengers in orange life jackets clinging onto the two-deck ferry as it tilts dramatically to one side.

Passengers appear to fall to one side of the boat as it floats over rocky waters, and in later footage, the tourists can be seen jumping into the ocean.

A 75-year-old American woman from Colorado died in the incident, local police told Bahamas newspaper Tribune 242.

The woman has not been publicly named, and the exact circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear.

The ferry full of tourists was nearing its destination when conditions on the water began to deteriorate, American tourist Kelly Schissel said in a TikTok recapping the horrifying incident.

“One of the crewmembers who was downstairs ran upstairs and was crying, absolutely bawling, and grabbing a life jacket. That’s when everybody was like … this is real, something’s happening,” Schissel said in the TikTok.

As water began to fill the ship’s main deck, passengers put on life jackets and moved to the boat’s top level.

According to Schissel, several crew members were in hysterics over the incident and unable to instruct passengers on what to do.

“Once we realized we were starting to sink, and we saw the water coming in, people were screaming and people were freaking out, so we all got our life jackets on,” she said. “We were waiting for the staff to direct us on what to do, and they didn’t.”

Other video shows passengers eventually began to jump out of the sinking ship into the bright blue water below.

While it looked beautiful, Schissel said the waters were rough, and many people struggled to keep their heads above the choppy waves.

Eventually, rescue boats arrived.

Several good Samaritans in boats nearby also took in some of the ferry’s passengers, Schissel said.

Two of the boat’s passengers were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, the tour operator told the Maritime Executive.

The circumstances surrounding the 75-year-old woman’s death are currently under investigation.

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Wisconsin woman survives capsizing boat in Bahamas, captures moments on video

A southwestern Wisconsin woman survived after a tourist boat with more than 100 passengers capsized Tuesday morning off the coast of the Bahamas.

The nightmare was caught on camera by Kelly Schissel. The woman from Platteville, Wisconsin was one of the dozens of other passengers trying to enjoy a ferry ride when it happened.

An American tourist died as a result of the accident. The tourist, a 74-year-old woman from Broomfield, Colorado whose name was not released, was on a five-day vacation with her family when the catamaran sank Tuesday morning, Police Chief Chrislyn Skippings told The Associated Press.

The other passengers and crew were rescued. Two other people were taken to a medical facility, police said, but their condition is unknown at this time.

It was not clear how the 74-year-old woman died.

Police said in a statement that the woman was found unconscious when officers helped pull the crew and passengers out of the water. They added that she performed CPR on the dock, where she was pronounced dead.

There were life jackets on the boat and the people on board were wearing them, according to police.

The two-level catamaran began taking on water after leaving Paradise Island for Blue Lagoon Island, a popular destination just north of the capital Nassau.

A video posted on social media shows passengers screaming as the catamaran tilts to one side, and some jump into the water and begin swimming to nearby boats.

Police said the Royal Bahamas Defense Force and other tourist vessels also assisted in the rescue.

The authorities are investigating the causes of the incident.

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An American tourist died after a boat bound for a private island sank in the Bahamas

• An American tourist died after a ferry sank in the Bahamas. 
• The 74-year-old woman was given CPR before she was pronounced dead. 
• The ferry was headed to Blue Lagoon Island in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas.

An American tourist died after a ferry with over 100 passengers sank in the Bahamas on Tuesday morning, the Associated Press reported , citing local police. The ferry sank en route to Blue Lagoon Island, a private island in the capital of Nassau.

The tourist, a 74-year-old woman from Broomfield, Colorado, had been planning to travel with her family for five days, Chrislyn Skippings, the chief superintendent of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, told the AP.

The woman was not identified by name in the report. The report also did not state her cause of death.

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A video of the incident posted on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, shows people wearing orange life vests standing on a tilting boat. People were later shown jumping into the water. Business Insider could not independently verify the video.

"Our boat is sinking. Everyone's freaking out," a woman can be heard saying in the video.

"I'm on the top floor of the ferry," she continued.

Another angle of the Blue lagoon going down in Nassau Bahamas 🇧🇸 #grindfacetv TT/ kellyswitz pic.twitter.com/hZT4x0lBVx — GrindFace TV (Entertainment) (@grindfacetv) November 15, 2023

Authorities attempted to rescue the woman from the water when the ferry sank, but she was unresponsive, the AP reported, citing a police statement. They performed CPR on her and took her to a dock, where she was pronounced dead.

Authorities managed to rescue the rest of the passengers and crew members on board. Two passengers were sent to a medical center, per the AP.

There have been more boating accidents in the Bahamas in the past few years. In 2022, 17 migrants died after the boat they were on capsized off Paradise Island in the Bahamas. And in 2021, an American billionaire's yacht sunk after it crashed into an oil tanker off the coast of New Providence Island.

The Royal Bahamas Defense Force did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

Watch: Cruise ship captain breaks down 8 cruise ship disasters in movies and TV

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Police say a US tourist died when a catamaran carrying more than 100 people sank in the Bahamas

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A U.S. tourist died in the Bahamas after a catamaran carrying more than 100 people sank while traveling to a private island, police said Wednesday.

Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings told The Associated Press that the unidentified 74-year-old woman was from Broomfield, Colorado and was on a five-day vacation with her family when the catamaran sank late Tuesday morning.

The rest of the passengers and crew members were rescued. Two other unidentified people were taken to a medical facility, police said, but their conditions were not immediately known.

It wasn’t immediately clear how the 74-year-old woman died.

Police said in a statement that the woman was found unresponsive as they helped pull the passengers and crew members from the water. They said she was given CPR and then taken to a dock where she was declared dead.

Life vests were available, and those aboard were wearing them, according to authorities.

Police said the double-deck catamaran began taking on water after departing Paradise Island with a group of tourists headed to Blue Lagoon Island, a popular destination located just northeast of the capital of Nassau.

A video posted on social media showed some passengers yelling as the catamaran began listing on its right side, prompting tourists to slowly start jumping into the water as they swam toward nearby boats.

Police said the Royal Bahamas Defense Force also helped with the rescue, as well as nearby pleasure craft.

Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.

Police say a US tourist died when a catamaran carrying more than 100 people sank in the Bahamas

The 74-year-old woman was from broomfield, colorado, and was on a five-day vacation with her family when the catamaran sank late tuesday morning, by danica coto | associated press • published november 15, 2023 • updated on november 15, 2023 at 5:27 pm.

A U.S. tourist died in the Bahamas after a catamaran carrying more than 100 people sank while traveling to a private island, police said Wednesday.

Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings told The Associated Press that the unidentified 74-year-old woman was from Broomfield, Colorado and was on a five-day vacation with her family when the catamaran sank late Tuesday morning.

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The rest of the passengers and crew members were rescued. Two other unidentified people were taken to a medical facility, police said, but their conditions were not immediately known.

It wasn’t immediately clear how the 74-year-old woman died.

Police said in a statement that the woman was found unresponsive as they helped pull the passengers and crew members from the water. They said she was given CPR and then taken to a dock where she was declared dead.

Life vests were available, and those aboard were wearing them, according to authorities.

Police said the double-deck catamaran began taking on water after departing Paradise Island with a group of tourists headed to Blue Lagoon Island, a popular destination located just northeast of the capital of Nassau.

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A video posted on social media showed some passengers yelling as the catamaran began listing on its right side, prompting tourists to slowly start jumping into the water as they swam toward nearby boats.

Police said the Royal Bahamas Defense Force also helped with the rescue, as well as nearby pleasure craft.

Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.

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American woman killed after tour boat capsizes in Bahamas: Video

A catamaran on the way to an island in the Bahamas capsized, killing a woman and hospitalizing two people.

An American tourist died after a double-decker catamaran sank near Blue Lagoon Island in the Bahamas Tuesday, police said.

The 74-year-old Colorado woman was on a five-day family vacation when the  tour boat sank , Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings told The Associated Press. Her specific cause of death wasn't immediately clear.

Police said the woman was found unresponsive in the water and was given CPR. She was taken to a dock where she was declared dead.

Out of the more than 100 people aboard, two others were taken to a hospital after the boat went down. The rest of the passengers and crew, who were all wearing life vests, were rescued.

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Video from a passenger aboard the ferry shows the chaos that ensued as it began to  capsize  and tilted on its side. Some passengers jumped out of the vessel into the open water to escape, while other footage shows passengers jumping to safety on another boat.

An American tourist told Maritime Executive the catamaran began taking on water after encountering choppy seas. The first floor began to fill, and passengers began moving to the higher side of the top deck level. 

In a statement, Blue Lagoon Island said the Royal Bahamas Defense Force helped with the rescue along with nearby vessels. It said it would give more information to the public as it became available.

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75-year-old woman dies after ferry boat capsizes on excursion in Bahamas, officials say: 'It was terrifying'

Tourist ferry boat sinks in the bahamas.

A group of tourists on an excursion in the Bahamas had to escape a sinking ferry boat. A 75-year-old woman died during the incident.

NASSAU, Bahamas - An American tourist is dead, travelers are traumatized and an investigation is underway after a ferry boat sunk in the Bahamas. 

This happened yesterday during an island excursion trip in Nassau, which is a popular cruise destination for Floridians. 

FOX 35 News' Esther Bower spoke with travelers on board the sinking ship – and they're concerned there weren't enough safety protocols in place. 

Passengers said they were up to their shoulders in water and had no direction on what to do when the boat was sinking. Infants all the way up to seniors were on board, and a 75-year-old woman lost her life during the terrifying ordeal. 

Video from the incident shows people jumping off the sinking ship, hoping they'd be saved. 

Britanie Crippen and Derek Smoot were on board the sinking ferry, the Blue Lagoon Island ferry excursion. It wasn't their first time cruising, but it was their first time in the Bahamas. 

1 dead after boat in Bahamas capsizes

One person is dead after a ferry boat sunk in the Bahamas during an island excursion trip in Nassau. (Video: Sarah Plourde via Storyful)

"There were boats passing us very fast and didn't stop to help. Just kept passing by, creating huge waves. I kept getting almost drowned by the huge waves crashing," Crippen said. 

The two said they didn't get any instructions from staff. 

"We got no instructions like, ‘Hey, put on your life vest now.’ It was, like, we figured it out when we were up to our shoulders in water," Smoot said. 

Credit: Sarah Plourde via Storyful

Passenger Kelly Schissel had a similar experience. 

"We were waiting for somebody to tell us what to do and nobody did," she said. 

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Officials said two passengers were taken to the hospital and a 75-year-old woman died. 

"She was on a wheelchair, and she was on oxygen," Schissel said. 

She said first responders couldn't save the woman. 

"You could see the wheelchair and a bunch of people carrying different oxygen masks and tanks running up the pier toward where they lady was, and to my knowledge, they tried doing CPR and they just couldn't bring her back," Schissel said. 

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Local authorities in the Bahamas are investigating what caused the boat to sink. The U.S. Embassy is also involved, with some passengers worried about planning another international vacation. 

"Going to a foreign country is something to be really cautious about," Crippen said, adding that everyone should take "extra precautions no matter what, even if no one gives it to you."

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The people FOX 35 News spoke with were passengers on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas ship, which arrived back in Miami on Wednesday. At this time, they said they're working with the ship to get refunds for the excursion. 

Officials said the care team is connecting with the family of the 75-year-old woman who died. 

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Bahamas tour boat sinks, leaving 1 dead as passenger records terrifying ordeal

Blue lagoon island ferry in bahamas filmed sinking by multiple passengers.

Bahamas tour boat passenger films vessel sinking, people jumping overboard

A passenger captured video of a tour boat listing and sinking in Nassau, Bahamas, Tuesday, with some on board jumping in the water to get to rescue boat. (Credit: Kelly Schissel / LOCAL NEWS X /TMX)

A 75-year-old Colorado woman died and two others were taken to the hospital after large waves caused a double-decker tour boat to sink Tuesday near the Blue Lagoon Island in the Bahamas, according to reports. 

"Our boat is sinking … so that's fun," Kelly Schissel could be heard saying in a video she posted to TikTok. "Everybody's freaking out."

People wearing life vests screamed and some jumped into the water as the boat lifted to one side. 

The ferry was almost to the island, but not close to shore, Schissel said in a subsequent video. She said she believed the captain was trying to be "silly" by whipping the boat's end around while trying to turn into the Blue Lagoon area.

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"Then all of a sudden we kinda hear people kind of freaking out a little bit," she said as passengers on the top deck where she was began wondering what was going on.

When she looked down below, she noticed water coming onto the boat.

"One of the crew members that was downstairs ran upstairs and was crying, freaking out, absolutely bawling, grabbing a life jacket," she said.

She said many of the passengers aboard were waiting for the tour boat staff to tell them what to do, but claims they never did because they were too busy panicking. 

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A video by another passenger shows the boat sinking in the water. (@paigeliebs via Storyful)

This vantage point shows passengers on a rescue boat trying to help others as a tour boat ferry sinks in the Bahamas Nov. 14, 2023. (@paigeliebs via Storyful)

A statement from Blue Lagoon Island shared on social media from The Caribbean Post makes no mention of the woman who died. (@paigeliebs via Storyful)

Another passenger, Sarah Plourde, told Storyful, "The first floor filled with water, and we had to climb to the side and climb out the window. The captain wouldn’t turn the engines off, so we were scared to swim out the back due to the propeller."

Schissel said a lot of people jumped into the choppy water in attempts to get to rescue boats. She ended up on a local fisherman's boat. She said once ashore, those impacted were offered shirts, shoes and food prior to being taken back to the cruise ship they were traveling on ahead of the planned excursion. 

The Nassau Guardian responded to the scene and said the victim's "covered body was lying on the vessel that was used for the rescue, and her husband was crouched over her with his head down caressing her."

The local newspaper spoke with police, who said the ferry had more than 100 passengers on board when it left a Bay Street dock for Blue Lagoon around 9:30 a.m. The boat began taking on water about a half hour into the ride. 

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A statement from Blue Lagoon Island shared to X by The Caribbean Post says the incident happened around 11 a.m., and that "emergency teams from the island quickly arrived to render assistance." It said passengers and five staff members were located, taken to the island and two passengers were taken to the hospital for additional care.

"All onboard are accounted for," the statement reads. "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 made no mention of the woman who died. Blue Lagoon Island did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment. 

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US tourist dies after catamaran carrying more than 100 people sinks in the Bahamas, police say

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A U.S. tourist died in the Bahamas after a catamaran carrying more than 100 people sank while traveling to a private island, police said Wednesday.

Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings told The Associated Press that the unidentified 74-year-old woman was from Broomfield, Colorado and was on a five-day vacation with her family when the catamaran sank late Tuesday morning.

The rest of the passengers and crew members were rescued. Two other unidentified people were taken to a medical facility, police said, but their conditions were not immediately known.

It wasn’t immediately clear how the 74-year-old woman died.

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Police said in a statement that the woman was found unresponsive as they helped pull the passengers and crew members from the water. They said she was given CPR and then taken to a dock where she was declared dead.

Life vests were available, and those aboard were wearing them, according to authorities.

Police said the double-deck catamaran began taking on water after departing Paradise Island with a group of tourists headed to Blue Lagoon Island, a popular destination located just northeast of the capital of Nassau.

A video posted on social media showed some passengers yelling as the catamaran began listing on its right side, prompting tourists to slowly start jumping into the water as they swam toward nearby boats.

Police said the Royal Bahamas Defense Force also helped with the rescue, as well as nearby pleasure craft.

Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.

Passenger captures moment tourist boat capsizes in the Bahamas - leaving one person dead

The cruise ship sank near the Blue Lagoon Island after encountering rough water. According to local police, the passenger who died was a 75-year-old woman from Colorado and two passengers were taken to hospital.

Wednesday 15 November 2023 18:33, UK

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Colo. Woman Dies in the Bahamas After Catamaran Sinks with Over 100 People on Board

The 74-year-old woman was found unresponsive after the double-deck catamaran sank Tuesday morning while heading to an island, per multiple reports

Abigail Adams is a Human Interest Writer and Reporter for PEOPLE. She has been working in journalism for seven years.

A Colorado woman has died after a catamaran carrying more than 100 people sank in the Bahamas, according to reports.

The 74-year-old woman was found unresponsive after the double-deck catamaran sank Tuesday morning while heading to a private island, the Associated Press and CBS News reported.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force said the boat was traveling between Paradise Island and a private tourist destination known as Blue Lagoon Island when the incident occurred, according to NBC News .

The woman, who has not been publicly identified, was taken to a nearby dock, where she was given CPR, per the reports. She was pronounced dead a short time later, and her cause of death remains unclear.

The rest of the passengers and crew members were rescued, per CBS News and the AP. Two other people went to a local medical facility in New Providence, and their conditions remain unclear.

All passengers aboard the catamaran were wearing life vests, the RBPF said, according to the Associated Press..

The RBPF did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

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The RBPF said the victim was on a five-day vacation with her family at the time of the incident, the AP and CBS News reported.

The boat she was on began taking on water about a half hour into the trip after hitting rough seas, according to Bahamas newspaper Tribune 242 .

Videos shared on social media show the boat sitting sideways in the water while several individuals begin to yell. Members of the Royal Bahamas Defense Force and a nearby pleasure craft helped some of the victims as well, according to the AP.

Passengers who were rescued from the water were transported to Blue Lagoon Island, according to Tribune 242.

Authorities are investigating the deadly incident, per the reports.

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17 died in the Bahamas after a boat believed to be carrying Haitian migrants capsized

Dustin Jones

Survivors of a migrant boat that capsized perch on the overturned vessel off the coast of New Providence island, Bahamas. Royal Bahamas Defence Force/Reuters hide caption

Survivors of a migrant boat that capsized perch on the overturned vessel off the coast of New Providence island, Bahamas.

At least 17 people have died after a boat capsized shortly after midnight on Sunday in the Bahamas. Authorities said the boat was likely transporting Haitian migrants during a suspected human smuggling operation bound for the United States.

An investigation into the incident is still underway, but authorities said during a press conference that between 50 and 60 people were in the boat when it capsized approximately 7 miles off the coast of New Providence island.

Officials recovered the bodies of 16 females, including a child believed to be 4 or 5 years old, and one male. Authorities said they were able to rescue 25 people from the water. Between eight to 12 people are believed to be missing.

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The state of haiti 1 year after the prime minister was assassinated.

Three individuals who were rescued are still being treated at a local hospital after the near-drowning incident, according to Bahamian Acting Minister of Health Ryan Pinder, who also serves as the attorney general.

Bahamas Prime Minister Phillip Davis told reporters that the preliminary investigation suggests two Bahamian citizens were attempting to smuggle Haitian refugees into Miami, Fla.

"What happened this morning was not an entry to the Bahamas, but rather an exit from the Bahamas, with emigrants who were already here," Davis said. "How they got here, we're not quite sure, as the investigation is still continuing."

Two Bahamian citizens involved in the incident are in custody, officials said.

Members of the Royal Bahamas Police and Royal Bahamas Defence Force responded to reports of a capsized vessel shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday, Deputy Commander Capt. Shonedel Pinder said, which likely faced "formidable weather conditions."

Pinder told reporters that defense patrols and surveillance efforts have increased in recent months. As a result, there hasn't been a successful illegal landing in the Bahamas in several months, he said, which should dissuade human smugglers from future operations.

Immigration officers and Royal Bahamas police officers detained five Haitian nationals last week after responding to reports of an illegal beach landing on the west side of Nassau. According to an immigration department news release , the individuals were involved with an attempted human smuggling operation.

The Bahamas Department of Immigration has intercepted at least 830 Haitian migrants since the beginning of the year, according to numbers noted in news releases dating back to January. The perilous journeys have become more frequent as Haitians flee ongoing political instability, gang violence and poverty in their home country.

What Haiti looks like a year after its president was assassinated

Bahamas Minister of Labour and Immigration Keith Bell urged citizens to deter others from attempting the journey in response to the recent tragedy at sea.

"We mourn lives lost of those seeking a better way of life," Bell told Reuters . "Those here with families and friends in Haiti, encourage your loved ones not to risk their lives."

Although there has been an increase of vessels carrying migrants in recent months, Davis said, the Bahamas is almost always not their final destination. More often than not, the islands are a midpoint for those fleeing Haiti for the United States, he said.

Just last month, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued nearly 100 Haitian men, women and children aboard an immobile stranded vessel off the coast of Florida. The vessel was found approximately 40 miles southeast of Islamorada in the Florida Keys, a Coast Guard news release said. Over 6,000 Haitian migrants were intercepted by Coast Guard crews between October 2021 and June 2022.

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David and Victoria Beckham celebrate Easter with family aboard a $20M megayacht

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Victoria and David Beckham celebrated Easter Sunday by soaking up the sun with their family aboard a multimillion-dollar megayacht in Miami.

The Spice Girls alum shared a few snaps of the festivities via Instagram , showcasing her husband and three of their four kids – Brooklyn, 25, Cruz, 19, and Harper, 12 – living their best lives. Brooklyn’s wife, Nicola Peltz, also celebrated with the family, while 21-year-old Romeo was away for the weekend.

The sun-filled snaps showed the former soccer player, 48, and Posh Spice, 49, dressed in summer attire while sporting pink-and-white bunny ears. At one point they posed upside down on a lounge while pretending to sleep for a cute pic.

In another festive pic, the happy family posed for a group shot at the back of the yacht while all sporting the same festive bunny ears.

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A third playful snap showed Peltz, 29, holding up Victoria’s leg, which remains in a boot from when she fractured her foot while working out in February.

Other pictures saw David posing with his kids as they all sported white sweatshirts.

“Happy Easter!! We love and miss you @romeobeckham!! Kisses from the Beckhams and Peltz Beckhams,” Victoria captioned the photo dump.

On Saturday, Victoria also posted a video of herself and Peltz dancing to the Spice Girls’ 1996 hit “Say You’ll Be There” while on the boat.

David also shared pics to his own Instagram feed on Sunday, including sweet throwback snaps of his sons holding a massive chocolate bunny when they were young. He included a picture of his daughter holding a yellow duck figurine and another of his wife wearing bunny ears.

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Want celebrity news as it breaks? Hooked on Housewives?

It appears the A-list family has been spending several days abroad their yacht as they were first spotted taking a cruise on Wednesday.

The ritzy Riva 130 Bellissima Yacht is seemingly a new purchase for the couple, who were previously owners of a much smaller $6.5 million Riva Argo 90 .

The silver vessel, which measures about 40 meters and 130 feet, fits up to 10 guests in five suites.

Since February 2014, Victoria and David have spent the majority of their time under the Florida sun as the former Manchester United pro has signed on to work for Inter Miami CF.

When the UK natives aren’t in Florida, they are likely spending time in their  $40 million Victorian townhouse  in London, which is located on “Millionaire’s Row” in Kensington.

The couple reportedly have a combined net worth of $514 million to help support their lavish lifestyle .

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