Two American Carnival Cruise ship passengers have died from apparent drownings in separate incidents on the same day at the same resort, officials confirmed on Sunday.
The victims were identified as a 74-year-old woman and a 79-year-old man.
The drownings occurred at Celebration Key, Carnival Cruise Line’s new private island for Carnival guests in the Bahamas that opened in July and includes a beach club, swimming pools, a water park, freshwater lagoons and bars and restaurants.
“Our lifeguards and medical team responded to two separate emergency incidents at Celebration Key on Friday — one in the lagoon and one at the beach,” Carnival said in a statement. “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,” the cruise line added. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the guests and their families and our Care Team is providing assistance.”
In a news release, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said they are “investigating the circumstances surrounding two drowning incidents that occurred on Friday, Aug. 15, at a private tourist destination.”
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Authorities said the first incident took place shortly before noon and that officers on duty responded and discovered “an unresponsive 79-year-old male on board a commercial vessel.”
The initial report said a male became unresponsive while snorkelling at a beach.
“A lifeguard assisted him from the water, and CPR was administered, but to no avail,” the release added, confirming that the “American national was pronounced deceased by a medical doctor.”
The second incident took place after 2:30 p.m., after “officers discovered an unresponsive 74-year-old female on board a separate commercial vessel.”
“The initial report suggests that the female became unresponsive while swimming in a pool. A lifeguard assisted her out of the water, and CPR was administered, but to no avail,” the news release revealed.
The woman was also pronounced deceased by a medical doctor. Autopsies will be performed on both victims. The Royal Bahamas Police Force added that the “investigation continues in both matters.”
Elsewhere in the Bahamas, another American tourist was attacked by a shark on Sunday near Big Grand Cay on the island of Abaco shortly after 1 p.m. local time.
According to police, a 63-year-old U.S. resident “was spearfishing when he was attacked by a shark, sustaining severe injuries.”
Police said he was taken to a local clinic for medical assistance before being airlifted to the United States for additional treatment.