Carnival’s new private island in the Bahamas, Celebration Key, has experienced two drowning deaths involving American vacationers less than a month after its grand opening.
Bahamian police reported that a 79-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman died in separate incidents on Friday at the resort.
Police reports indicate the man was found unresponsive while snorkeling at the beach. Lifeguards pulled him from the water and performed CPR, but were unable to revive him.
The woman became unresponsive while swimming in a pool. Lifeguards removed her from the water and administered CPR, but she could not be saved.
Autopsies are being conducted to determine the exact cause of death in both cases.
A Carnival representative confirmed the deaths, stating that the incidents occurred at Celebration Key. The cruise line stated that its lifeguards and medical personnel responded to two separate water-related emergencies, one in the lagoon and the other at the beach.
According to Carnival, one guest was traveling with family on the Mardi Gras, while the other was sailing with family on the Carnival Elation. The cruise line expressed its condolences and stated that its Care Team is assisting the families.
Celebration Key, a $600 million destination, officially opened to cruise guests on July 19th. The island features attractions such as a 10-story sandcastle, racing waterslides, a shopping area, a basketball court, and an adults-only area, according to Carnival’s initial press release.
Carnival anticipates that Celebration Key will initially bring over two million visitors to Grand Bahama. They estimate that this number will increase to four million by 2028. The project is expected to create hundreds of long-term jobs and have a significant economic impact on Grand Bahama. The destination has a cruise pier that can accommodate two of Carnival’s largest ships at the same time. Construction is already underway to extend the pier to accommodate two more ships.
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