Visitor dies after snorkel trip off BT beach
Frederick Beach, Bodden Town
(CNS): The ocean claimed its second victim in just two days yesterday, after a 61-year-old visitor from the United States died following a snorkel trip in Bodden Town. Police said the man encountered difficulties at around 2:00 Tuesday afternoon, 19 July, while snorkeling off Frederick Beach in the heart of the district. Other people at the beach were administering CPR when police and emergency personnel responded. The victim was transported to Cayman Islands Hospital, where he was pronounced dead some 45 minutes later.
Category: Local News
Maybe it is time for the resorts to offer a quick course in Snorkeling, to their guests.
Paul , you are referring to people like yourself that are experienced and comfortable and can handle most situations in the water, and knows how to do it . We should be talking about people that are not like you and only see and hear about how beautiful the underwater is and don’t know the dangers of the area they are about go into .
That’s why warning signs should be erected at beaches / snorkeling spots warning them to the dangers of this area , a few life guards like you in the most dangerous areas would be very helpful in prevention .
I think that if the Hotel’s and DoT and Government shared the expense of this prevention program would pay off , even if one life was saved by it . But most of all it shows our safety and responsibilities to our tourist to enjoy all parts of our Islands with good hospitality .
Way more people are injured crossing the street. Perhaps we can put warning signs on every corner. Perhaps everyone arriving at the airport can be given a book of warnings with maps corresponding to all the dangers they could encounter. Someone can make an app for the iPhone that beeps and reads out warnings based on gps locations. “Warning: you appear to be at Cemetery beach. You don’t plan to have fun do you? Warning!”
Life is dangerous. Go home. Stay indoors. Don’t interact with people. Don’t go places. Warning!
-Isme
There is no way to place lifegaurds at every beach around the island. Make the resorts/ hotels responsible for their areas and the public beaches the responsibility of the government . Other than that all hotels , visitors , friends no family that come here should have some kind of warning about the dangers of the water. Most of these drownings occur during a diving or snorkeling incident. Let’s remind these people that when they get in to trouble in the water……..keep the snorkel in your mouth and just breath. Wave your hands and scream for help but then PUT the dam snorkel in your mouth and breath. Please
Nope 8:05, I’, afraid you are dead wrong. A drowning person CANNOT wave:
The safest way to snorkel is to have one person in the group float with a noodle or raft, period!! Most visitors are not avid snorkelers and certainly not used to swimming in the Sea, so extra steps for safety should be posted in all hotels and beaches (DOT?)
Drowning is the second-most common cause of accidental death in children ages 1 to 14 (just behind motor vehicle accidents). In a 2004 study by a national safety group, 90 percent of children who drowned did so while under the care of an adult or a teenager. In many cases, the study suggests, that person had a momentary lapse of attention.
But the fact is that often those watching don’t know what to look for—because drowning doesn’t look like drowning. To ward off a tragedy in the making, watch for these signs that someone is in trouble.
1. They can’t call for help—she has to be able to breathe before she can speak. When a person is drowning, her mouth sinks below and reappears above the surface of the water. There isn’t time for her to exhale, inhale, and call out.
2. They can’t wave for help either. A drowning person instinctively extends her arms to the sides and presses down to lift her mouth out of the water; a child may extend her arms forward. She can’t use her arms to move toward a rescuer or reach for rescue equipment.
3. They remain upright in the water, with no evidence of kicking. She can struggle for only 20 to 60 seconds before going under.
4. Their eyes are glassy, unable to focus, or closed.
5. Their face may be hard to see; hair may be over forehead or eyes.
6. Their Head is low in the water, with mouth at water level; head may be tilted back with mouth open. A child’s head may fall forward.
7. They are quiet. Children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you need to get to them and find out why.
8. They don’t seem in distress. Sometimes the most important indicator that someone is drowning is that she doesn’t look like she’s drowning. She may just seem to be looking up at the sky, shore, pool deck, or dock. Ask her, “Are you all right?” If she can answer at all, she probably is. If she returns a blank stare, you may have less than 30 seconds to get to her.
I don’t understand why Hotels and DoT and Government don’t see that all of the tragic deaths that happens on the Island are in some way links Cayman Islands to bad news, that might have been prevented if all precautions were taken . No life guards , no cautionary signs placed at popular snorkeling spots and beaches .
We are not a nanny state Sharkey. Anyone that dives, snorkels or swims in the ocean in any country takes their life in their hands. If you are old, have health issues, etc., then you need to take personal responsibility for the activities you undertake. I scuba dive and I respect and fear the ocean for good reason. It’s unlikely there will be a widespread perception that Cayman is a dangerous place to swim due to recent events. Our ocean is actually very benign compared to most places. However.. yes, hotel and tourism rep’s should hammer home the potential dangers and the need to swim with buddies, check conditions, etc.to all guests. Hopefully no more in 2016 eh.
Condolences to the family, poster 11:28 you have one part right about the Caribbean Sea beautiful , but absolutely wrong about loving ,like all seas and oceans it’s the most unforgiving place you can you don’t get a lot of second chances . the beauty is the deceiving part all precautions must be taken .
Its not Disneyland out there
Bad comparison, that place isn’t safe either! Heard about the kid that got snatched away by a gator!
Perhaps the hotels and inns that accommodate these people could warn them of the dangers of under currents and rip tides, which happen to be particularly bad and unpredictable in the Eastern districts. Forewarned is forearmed.
Very sad news whenever a soul is lost in the beautiful and loving waters protecting us.I don’t know what’s going on if there needs to be more education to swimmers on the dangers that come with the beauty of this Caribbean Sea. It’s like they are missing something or not realizing that there is no power on earth like the power of the seas. Respect it and know your limits. But these things may need to be taught to visitors somehow someway. Many locals have had their own close brushes with death to make us know and respect the sea we love. There is no fun and games in the sea.
Time for lifeguards?
On every few feet of a country surrounded by beaches?
Where do you put them? Would this have been the first place on your list where you would have put a life guard?
Again?! Really?!
Smh 🙁
Sad to keep hearing about this stuff.
Condolences.