Octogenarian dies after snorkel trip

| 29/11/2018 | 33 Comments

Cayman News Service(CNS): An 80-year-old man who was visiting the Cayman Islands on vacation from the United States died Wednesday after a snorkelling trip in the North Sound. Police said the 911 Communications Centre received a report of a person in distress in the waters of the North Sound at around noon. The visitor, who reportedly lost consciousness after entering the water during the trip, was helped back on the boat and CPR was performed as the vessel returned to shore.

The man was taken by ambulance to the Cayman Islands Hospital in George Town, where he was pronounced dead. He was the 13th person to die in local waters in 2018, one of the worst years for water-related deaths over the last decade.

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Category: Local News

Comments (33)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    My family was also on this excursion. The crew on the boat did everything within their power to save the man’s life. My deepest sympathy goes out to this family. Every passenger was respectful while on the boat and on the shuttle ride back to the terminal. PLEASE do not make negative comments…..apparently you were NOT there….because if you were…with those kind of comments…..you would’ve been sorely out of place. You do not know what you would’ve done….you were not there.

  2. Anonymous says:

    I was on this excursion when this happened and it was a sad sad day.

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  3. Ron Ebanks says:

    Maybe one day when there’s 2 to 3 deaths every month , you all will see that there’s a problem . But one water related death every month has never happened before till 2018 .

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    • Ron Ebanks says:

      Dear some of CNS readers ,
      I think it is pathetic to see the arrogance in the way to how some of you think .
      Here is where I see a major problem, people are loosing their lives in the water and in one’s RESPONSIBILITY , and we are not getting a full investigation of what really happened , all we are getting is a cause of death . How do we know that the death couldn’t have been avoided , without the full investigation ? How do we know that all safety measures were taken without the full investigation of the death ? But here you are posting your own unprofessional opinion without any experience in the topic of discussion , but only believing that there could be one or two things that could’ve been the cause of death . In every complete investigation , we could possibly find more than one reason for the cause of death .
      Please go back and read all of our comments on this page and you will see , that I am the only one who is speaking from any experience , and almost all of you just believe that when the time come that’s it .
      People please believe that PREVENTION CAN and HAS saved many lives .

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    • Ron Ebanks says:

      One water related death every month , has never happened before till the year 2018 in the Cayman Islands Tourism history . Do we see the changes ? Are we interested in knowing what is causing these changes ?

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  4. Anonymous says:

    Small craft warning that day. Very windy and tough in NS. Watersports company is responsible as the tourist are ignorant to the conditions.

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  5. OLD Caymanian Captain says:

    Are you people who are reading my comments on this site , boat Captains or even have any boating experience in this topic?

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Wake up people. You can’t blame everything on someone or something else. People do just die. Every time it happens in the water fingers get pointed at snorkel or diver operators, lack of training, etc…. people just die. Every day. Everywhere. When an 80 year old dies in bed at home are we blaming someone? Why didn’t the family or helper do something? Why aren’t they trained better? Death comes when it is good and ready. Most people who have died in our waters have been older, had multiple medical issues, and sometimes should not venture into the water. It just happens.
    You can’t always blame. Enjoy every day because you don’t know when it’s your last.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Everyone!!! Stop blaming the watersports companies for every death!!! Ron, you don’t even know what he died of yet!!!
    Jeez~!

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  8. Anonymous says:

    If I am lucky enough to make it to 80 I would be happy to go snorkeling in the North Sound. RIP Sir.

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  9. Ron Ebanks says:

    Of what is happening in the water sports and tourism today , I feel that what I have helped build is being destroyed . I can help , but first you must acknowledge that you do need my help . With my education of the water sports industry , I can help rebuild and educate this industry and make it more enjoyable and more importantly SAFER .
    You must understand that the industry and Islands reputation is at stake .

    This is coming from one with 25 years of experience and no accidents or deaths in his career.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    How many 80 year men died without even getting their toe wet? #notnews

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    • Ron Ebanks says:

      7 : 49am , are you trying to say that the Gentleman lived and waited to go on a snorkeling trip to end his life ?

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  11. Anonymous says:

    I don’t think identifying the individual as octogenarian serves any purpose.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I disagree. It might not provide all the answers and of course an investigation must be had but it is important context. If this was a 25 year old, it suggests cause for grave concern until proven otherwise. This is probably age and health related until proven otherwise. Even with this context, watersports companies are being attacked. Imagine what it would be like without?

  12. Anonymous says:

    6:55
    The Work Permit holders should be given Breathalizers before they start their day working these Tours. So many of them are hungover or still drunk.
    Condolences to his family and friends.

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  13. Anonymous says:

    I really wonder what first aid training qualifications the staff held, was there a defib on board probably not.
    Like everything Cayman on this island turn a blind eye and brush it under the carpet.
    At some point a tour company be it the unregulated jet ski at 7 mile beach dodgy bedchair at public beach is going to get sued as a result of a death and this fragile cowboy tour industry could collapse.
    This Government need to grow some balls and get a grip, it is not all about your mate’s watches and toot jewelry.

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  14. Ron Ebanks says:

    I give the family of the Gentleman my deepest regards for their lost , RIP .
    But here we go again , another lost of a life that might have had another few years with his beloved family, at 80 years of age and goes on a snorkeling trip in the north sound and ends his life .

    With my experience with the tourist, I would or wouldn’t have let the gentleman in the water to have went to snorkel. I have taken people that age snorkeling and they came back and told me that I completed their life , not ended it . I really have to believe that the SAFETY of the water sports industry/operators needs some SAFETY improvements, and no one can tell me differently. I seen that from long time ago , but today it looks like IT’S gotten worst .

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