- Two American passengers drowned at Carnival's Celebration Key resort on August 15
- A 79-year-old man died while snorkelling at the beach around noon
- A 74-year-old woman was found unresponsive in a freshwater lagoon at 2:30 PM
Two American cruise passengers, a 79-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman, drowned in separate incidents at Carnival Cruise Line's newly opened Celebration Key resort on Grand Bahama Island on August 15. The incidents occurred just hours apart at the $600 million resort, which opened on July 19. According to the New York Post, the man became unresponsive while snorkelling at the beach around noon. Lifeguards quickly responded and pulled him ashore, where CPR was administered. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, the man was pronounced dead by a medical doctor shortly after.
Later that day, around 2:30 PM, a second incident occurred on a separate cruise ship, where a 74-year-old woman was found unresponsive in one of the resort's freshwater lagoons and could not be revived despite CPR efforts.
"The initial report suggests that the female became unresponsive while swimming in a pool," police said in a release shared on Facebook.
The two victims were passengers on separate Carnival cruise ships: the Mardi Gras, which departed from Port Canaveral, Florida, and the Carnival Elation, which sailed from Jacksonville, Florida.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force is investigating, with autopsies pending to determine the exact causes of death.
Carnival Cruise Line said in a statement obtained by People, "Our lifeguards and medical team responded to two separate water emergency incidents at Celebration Key on Friday — one in the lagoon and one at the beach. Sadly, both guests have passed away. One guest was sailing with family on Mardi Gras, and one guest was sailing with family on Carnival Elation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the guests and their families, and our Care Team is providing assistance."
Celebration Key is a luxurious private resort that features the world's largest freshwater lagoon, Starfish Lagoon, and an impressive 11,000-square-foot infinity pool at the Pearl Cove Beach Club. The resort also offers a range of activities, including paddleboarding, as well as various dining options to suit every taste.
