A 36-year-old British woman has died after being swept away by a strong ocean current while attempting to rescue her two sons during a snorkelling trip in the Bahamas.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force said the woman was in the water with her husband and two children near the southern point of Bimini when the current reportedly swept both boys away.
She entered the water in an attempt to save them but was also carried away by the current. The two children were subsequently rescued.
Police have launched an investigation into the woman’s death, although foul play is not suspected.
Emergency Services Responded to Incident at Bimini
According to the police, officers at Alice Town police station received information shortly after 10am on Tuesday that a woman was unresponsive at the North Bimini Ferry Dock.
Officers arrived at the scene and learned that she had been taken to a local clinic for medical treatment.
A doctor later pronounced her dead despite efforts to save her life.
Police said the woman had been rescued from the water and transported to the ferry dock, where cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was reportedly administered.
An autopsy will be conducted to help establish the exact cause of death.
Police Investigate Circumstances Surrounding Death
The Royal Bahamas Police Force said the investigation remained ongoing as authorities worked to establish the circumstances of the incident.
Preliminary information indicated that the family had been snorkelling together when the strong current swept the two children away.
The woman’s identity has not been publicly confirmed in the information released by police. She is believed to have been from Stapleford in Nottinghamshire, England.
UK Foreign Office Offers Support to Family
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed that it was aware of the woman’s death and was supporting her relatives.
A spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with the family of a British woman who has died in the Bahamas.”
The spokesperson added that the department was in contact with local authorities and providing assistance to the family.
