While no official cause of death has been given, Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander, of the Royal Bahamas Police Force, revealed at a press conference Wednesday, November 15, that the woman had not died as a result of drowning.
"The autopsy has already been done," Fernander said, on video captured by Eyewitness News Bahamas.
"I don't wish to disclose the results of the autopsy at this time. We still have to wait and communicate with family members," he explained. "But I can assure you, that it's not as a result of drowning. It's not as a result of drowning."
@kellyswitz our ferry went down on our way to Blue Lagoon #shipwreck #boat #boatsinking #bluelagoon #bahamas #ferry ♬ original sound - Kelly Schissel
The catamaran — a double-decker vessel with two hulls running parallel to one another — was carrying 119 people at the time of the November 14 sinking, according to Fernander, who has been meeting with investigators and receiving updates throughout the week.
"We want to respect the family at this time, but I've already met with the investigators from our side of the fence — the Port Department and the maritime investigators," he said.
Footage captured by people on board shows a frantic and chaotic scene as passengers don life jackets and jump off the boat with their loved ones in tow.
"Everybody is freaking out," says passenger Kelly Schissel in a cell phone video posted on TikTok, which has over 20 million views.
It is unclear exactly what caused the catamaran to sink, but officials have said that rough seas played a part. An investigation is ongoing.
"That probe will continue, that will take into account an investigation — an inspection — of the vessel itself," said Keishla Adderley, acting press secretary for the Office of the Prime Minister, at Wednesday's press conference. "It will take into account what safety protocols were in place; it will take into account what was considered before a decision was made for that voyage, notwithstanding the weather alerts that were issued well in advance."
According to police, everyone on board the catamaran except the Broomfield woman survived. Two people were taken to a medical facility, but their conditions are not known.
Broomfield Police spokesperson Rachel Haslett tells Westword that the department has "not been contacted by authorities in the Bahamas and have not had any contact with family members." She adds that the BPD is not monitoring the incident at this time.
According to survivors, people on board the catamaran were part of a Royal Caribbean cruise, though it has not been confirmed whether the woman who died was a passenger. The boat had been traveling to a private island called Blue Lagoon Island.
"We were on a two-tiered ferry to Blue Lagoon; we were almost there," Schissel explains in an update video on her TikTok page. "Once we realized we were starting to sink and we saw the water coming in — people are screaming, people are freaking out, we all got our life jackets on — there was like, maybe, a [single] boat nearby. We were waiting for the staff to direct us on what to do, and they didn't. ... So we all jump in, and it was actually pretty rough waves, so a lot of people were just trying to stay above water, even with their life jackets on. Yes, it was warm; yes, it was nice weather; yes, the water wasn't bad; but it was very wavy. So it was not as easy as it may have looked."
According to Schissel, crew members were "too busy crying and freaking out" to give people directions on what to do. She says that the 75-year-old victim was able to make it to land after escaping from the boat, but — as reported by police and the Nassau Guardian — died "as a result of the incident." Unconfirmed reports from people who were on the boat say the woman had been using an oxygen tank.
A passenger from Iowa told local CBS affiliate KCCI News, "The gal who unfortunately passed away was the gal with the oxygen tank that I remember, and I said, 'Do you have your oxygen tank? Are you good? Is it strapped to you?' She said yes. I said, 'Okay, we need to move you.' So I grabbed her, locked arms with her and started moving."
Schissel told FOX 35 Orlando that the woman "was on a wheelchair, and she was on oxygen" when she got to shore, but first responders were unable to save her.
"You could see the wheelchair and a bunch of people carrying different oxygen masks and tanks running up the pier toward where the lady was," Schissel said. "To my knowledge, they tried doing CPR and they just couldn't bring her back."
A woman who claims to work with the victim's son said on Facebook that "he is devastated." Attempts to reach her have been unsuccessful.
"We were on a two-tiered ferry to Blue Lagoon; we were almost there," Schissel explains in an update video on her TikTok page. "Once we realized we were starting to sink and we saw the water coming in — people are screaming, people are freaking out, we all got our life jackets on — there was like, maybe, a [single] boat nearby. We were waiting for the staff to direct us on what to do, and they didn't. ... So we all jump in, and it was actually pretty rough waves, so a lot of people were just trying to stay above water, even with their life jackets on. Yes, it was warm; yes, it was nice weather; yes, the water wasn't bad; but it was very wavy. So it was not as easy as it may have looked."
According to Schissel, crew members were "too busy crying and freaking out" to give people directions on what to do. She says that the 75-year-old victim was able to make it to land after escaping from the boat, but — as reported by police and the Nassau Guardian — died "as a result of the incident." Unconfirmed reports from people who were on the boat say the woman had been using an oxygen tank.
A passenger from Iowa told local CBS affiliate KCCI News, "The gal who unfortunately passed away was the gal with the oxygen tank that I remember, and I said, 'Do you have your oxygen tank? Are you good? Is it strapped to you?' She said yes. I said, 'Okay, we need to move you.' So I grabbed her, locked arms with her and started moving."
Schissel told FOX 35 Orlando that the woman "was on a wheelchair, and she was on oxygen" when she got to shore, but first responders were unable to save her.
"You could see the wheelchair and a bunch of people carrying different oxygen masks and tanks running up the pier toward where the lady was," Schissel said. "To my knowledge, they tried doing CPR and they just couldn't bring her back."
