An American woman is missing after she fell overboard during an evening dinghy trip with her husband in the Bahamas, police have said.
The couple were travelling from Hope Town to Elbow Cay on Saturday when the woman, who has not been identified, fell into the water. The husband told police that she had the keys to the 8-foot-long vessel, causing the engine to cut out as she went overboard. He was forced to paddle to shore, arriving at Marsh Harbour Boat Yard at around 4 a.m. on Sunday and raising the alarm.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force said strong currents swept the woman out to sea. Search operations are being conducted by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and Hope Town Fire & Rescue. The US Embassy in Nassau and the FBI have been contacted.
The US State Department classifies the Bahamas as a level 2 advisory, urging Americans to exercise caution due to crime, weapons, and boating safety. It noted that boating is not well regulated and injuries have occurred. Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death in the Bahamas, with a rate six times higher than in the United States.
