Cruise ship passenger from Pennsylvania loses her life on Tuesday after being attacked by a shark while snorkeling with her family in the Bahamas, said the authorities.
The passenger, a mother in her 50s who was onboard the Royal Caribbean ship, Harmony of the Seas, was attacked in Green Cay, off the coast of Nassau, according to Royal Bahamas Police Force Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings.
While the cruise ship was docked in Nassau, the family booked an excursion with a local tour company that took them to a popular snorkeling area, she said.
Family members then saw a shark attacking the woman and went to her aid.
The mother had suffered bites to her “upper extremities,” Skippings said
Operators from the tour company and family members were able the pull the woman onto the boat and rushed to the nearest dock, where paramedics responded and reported no vital signs of life, Skippings said.
“Royal Caribbean is providing support and assistance to the guest’s loved ones during this difficult time,”
A Communique from the cruise line said. Harmony of the Seas is presently on a seven-night cruise after sailing from Port Canaveral, Florida, on Sunday.
The beach where the attack happened has been closed, authorities said, and the incident is under investigation.
Shark attacks remain extremely rare. The odds of getting fatally attacked by the creature remain less than 1 in 4 million, according to the International Shark Attack File.