A search is underway in the Bahamas for an American woman who went missing after reportedly falling overboard during a Saturday (April 4) evening dinghy trip with her husband, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force. The couple, both U.S. citizens, were traveling from Hope Town to Elbow Cay around 7:30 p.m. when the incident occurred.
Police said the woman fell into the water with the boat’s ignition keys, which caused the engine of their eight-foot, hard-bottom dinghy to shut off. Her husband told authorities that strong currents quickly swept her away and he lost sight of her. He then paddled the disabled vessel for hours, reaching Marsh Harbour Boat Yard around 4 a.m. Sunday (April 5), where he alerted a local resident who called the police, as detailed in a statement from the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
The Royal Bahamas Defence Force and Hope Town Fire & Rescue joined police in searching the surrounding area. The woman’s name has not been released. The Royal Bahamas Police Force has asked anyone with information to contact law enforcement or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS (8477) for anonymous tips.
The U.S. State Department currently maintains a Level 2 travel advisory for the Bahamas, warning that boating in the country is not well regulated and that injuries and deaths have occurred in similar circumstances. The advisory urges Americans to exercise increased caution, especially when using watercraft.
The investigation remains ongoing as the search continues in the Hope Town and Elbow Cay region.
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