Tragedy struck a Carnival Cruise Line passenger who met her demise after losing control of her mobility scooter and veering off a pier in the Bahamas.
The unfortunate incident involved an 88-year-old American woman who plunged into the water around midday on Saturday (May 9) while the Carnival Celebration cruise was stationed at Celebration Key, a resort established by the cruise operator, as part of a seven-day journey in the Eastern Caribbean. Departing from Miami on May 3, the ship returned to port on May 10, as confirmed by CruiseMapper.
Carnival Cruise Line verified that “a female guest using a mobility scooter drove off the pier at Celebration Key and fell into the water while Carnival Celebration was in port on May 9”. The company added: “Carnival teams responded, successfully retrieving her from the water. Despite resuscitation efforts, she did not survive.”
The cruise company detailed that the woman’s body was handed over to the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the coroner’s office for further examination. Authorities confirmed the investigation into the passing of an 88-year-old American woman, who allegedly lost control and drove off the pier just after 12 pm local time (5 pm BST).
According to the police report, “During the incident, she is believed to have struck her head against the hull of the vessel before entering the water.” The statement added, “Despite efforts to save her life, she later succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead by a local physician.”
Witnesses to the tragic event, Edward and Linsy Egersheim, recounted to South Florida outlet WSVN 7 News that the woman seemed to have suffered a heart attack during the incident.
Mr Egersheim explained, “She had a heart attack, went off with the scooter, and banged her head pretty bad, and then her husband tried to do what he could, and he ended up hurting himself as well.”
Reflecting on the tragic event, Ms. Egersheim commented, “Getting back on the boat was really sad”. She added, “We walked past the scooter and all you could think about is that poor lady.”
The identity of the victim has not been disclosed
