A recent Louisiana high school graduate who disappeared after leaping off a cruise ship in the Bahamas could have potentially been met by sharks in the water.
On Tuesday, Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) Commodore Raymond King told DailyMail that 18-year-old Cameron Robbins jumped into waters at Athol Island that are “really shark-infested,” and that the “probability of survival decreases significantly particularly if a person did not have on a life vest and particularly if a person is perceived to be intoxicated.”
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Robbins, who had just graduated from University Laboratory School (U-High), jumped off the boat as a dare on May 24. A video obtained by DailyMail showed Robbins splashing in the water near the boat before he vanished.
At the time, Robbins and students from other schools were on a graduation trip at the Atlantis Paradise Island in Nassau. The group had arrived on the island only a few hours before the boat excursion.
The video captured in the aftermath of the jump shows Cameron ignoring pleas from onlookers to seize a buoy and swim in the opposite direction. Social media users surmised that a reflection near the boat’s hull could have potentially been a shark that frightened him away.
At 11:30 p.m. on May 24, Royal Bahamas Defence Force personnel contacted watchstanders from Coast Guard District Seven, informing them that someone had fallen off the Blackbeard’s Revenge sunset cruise ship.
According to a witness, crews made multiple unsuccessful attempts to locate Robbins as the boat, resembling a pirate ship, stayed in the area for several hours. On Friday, the U.S. Coast Guard called the search off, according to CBS 9.
U-High baseball coach Justin Morgan issued a statement following the tragedy.
“Cameron is a kid who is truly loved by his teammates, teachers, and fellow classmates. He is a fierce competitor on the baseball field. He is a hard worker both on and off of the playing field. Our school community is struggling right now but hoping for the very best. Our thoughts and prayers have been and will remain with the Robbins family during this difficult time.”
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[Featured image: Cameron Robbins/U-High]
