Deaths of 3 Americans at Sandals resort in the Bahamas are under investigation, officials say
By Hira Humayun, Jason Hanna and Rebekah Riess, CNN
Three Americans died of unknown causes Friday at a Sandals resort on the Bahamas’ Great Exuma island, and police are investigating, officials said.
Two men and a woman died at the resort, and a fourth American — a woman — was airlifted to a hospital in Nassau, the Bahamas’ capital, Bahamian Acting Prime Minister Chester Cooper said Friday.
Though police are investigating, Cooper has been “advised that foul play is not suspected,” he said.
No signs of trauma were found on the bodies, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement to CNN.
Preliminary reports indicate that the bodies were found unresponsive in two different locations; a man was found first in one villa with no signs of trauma, and the couple in a second villa, police said in the statement issued on Saturday.
The couple complained of illness the previous evening, according to the report.
“The officers found a Caucasian male slumped against a wall in a bathroom, unresponsive,” the Royal Bahamas Police Force said. “The woman was also unresponsive. Both individuals showed signs of convulsion. The officers examined the bodies and found no signs of trauma.”
The police will wait for an autopsy report to determine the exact cause of death, adding that for now “this matter remains under active investigation.”
Cooper did not name the resort, but Sandals Resorts spokesperson Stacy Royal confirmed to CNN the death of the three guests at Sandals Emerald Bay resort on Great Exuma.
Sandals Resorts, operators of more than a dozen all-inclusive centers in the Atlantic and Caribbean, did not mention a fourth hospitalized person. Details about what led to the deaths, why the fourth American was taken to the hospital, whether that person was at the resort, the condition of that person and the Americans’ names weren’t released.
“A health emergency was initially reported and following our protocols we immediately alerted emergency medical professionals and relevant local authorities,” Sandals Resorts said in a statement to CNN Saturday morning.
The company said it was working to “support both the investigation as well as the guests’ families in every way possible,” but could not disclose further information “out of respect for the privacy of our guests.”
Cooper asked the nation’s health and wellness minister to lead a delegation of health, environment and public works officials to the Exuma district on Friday.
“The public will be kept abreast of information as soon as it becomes available,” Cooper, who also is the Bahamas’ tourism minister, said. “We offer our thoughts and prayers to the families affected.”
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