The disappearance of Louisiana high school graduate Cameron Robbins after he jumped off a cruise ship in the Bahamas has caused alarm among those familiar with the waters off Athol Island, which are said to be “shark-infested” according to Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) Commodore Raymond King.
Footage taken of Robbins in the water showed him ignoring pleas to grab a buoy and instead swimming away, leading some to speculate that he may have been scared off by a shark in the area. Social media users noticed a silvery reflection near the boat’s hull that may have been a shark, and some believe that Robbins may have been taken by the creature.
The Blackbeard’s Revenge, which was designed to look like a pirate ship, stayed in the area for a few hours to search for Robbins, however the Coast Guard eventually called off their search after looking over 325 square miles. Robbins had just graduated a few days prior from University Laboratory School and was holidaying at Atlantis Paradise Island with other high school graduates. Director Kevin George described Robbins as a “great kid” with a “great smile” and a “great head of hair”.
The disappearance of Cameron Robbins, an 18-year-old high school graduate from Louisiana may have ended in a gruesome manner, according to a claim made by a local official. Robbins had jumped off the Blackbeard’s Revenge cruise in the waters of Athol Island on May 24. Commodore Raymond King of the Royal Bahamas Defense Force told the Daily Mail that the area was infested with sharks.
A video taken at the scene of the incident showed Robbins ignoring the calls from onlookers to grab a buoy and swimming away in the opposite direction. This has caused some social media users to suggest that what he saw was a shark, with a Twitter user pointing out the moment the shark supposedly got him. Another viewer noted that Robbins had gone for the life ring initially, but changed his mind after he noticed the shape nearby, presumably the shark, and submerged in the water.
The Blackbeard’s Revenge, which is modelled after a pirate ship, remained in the area for several hours while the crew looked for Robbins. The US Coast Guard ended their own search after covering 325 square miles, but to no avail. The tragedy occurred three days after Robbins’ graduation from University Laboratory School, where he was a former baseball star. Kevin George, the director of the school, praised him as a “great kid” with an infectious smile and a great head of hair.