Colorado woman dies when ferry sinks in rough water near Blue Lagoon Island in the Bahamas
Dramatic videos of the incident show terrified passengers wearing life jackets and huddled on one side of the sinking boat as it began to list to one side.
Watch: Tour boat takes on water, sinks near Blue Lagoon Island in the Bahamas
A dramatic video shows chaos as a boat heading to the popular tourist destination Blue Lagoon Island in the Bahamas taking on water and sinking.
NASSAU, Bahamas – A 75-year-old Colorado woman died on Tuesday when a ferry began to take on water in rough seas and sank near the popular tourist destination Blue Lagoon Island north of Nassau in the Bahamas.
According to reports from The Nassau Guardian, the double-decker boat filled with about 100 people, most of whom were cruise-ship passengers, was about a half-hour into its journey on Tuesday morning when it encountered rough seas and began to take on water.
Dramatic videos of the incident show terrified passengers wearing life jackets and huddled on one side of the sinking boat as it began to list to one side.
Eventually, videos show passengers beginning to jump into the water to safety while nearby boats arrive to try and help those in the water.
An image showing a boat listing to one side after taking on water while heading to the popular tourist destination Blue Lagoon Island in the Bahamas.
(@paigeliebs via Storyful / FOX Weather)
"Passengers and five staff members were located and brought to the island," a statement from Blue Lagoon Island said. "Two passengers were taken to the hospital for additional care."
According to that statement, the Royal Bahamas Defense Force, Blue Lagoon and other vessels all assisted in getting people to shore.
In addition, local authorities were notified of the incident, as well as the U.S. Embassy.
Information about the victim or the cruise ship she was traveling on was not released.
‘The captain wouldn’t turn the engines off’
Watch: Video shows passengers jumping from sinking boat in the Bahamas
Video shows the moment terrified passengers begin to leap from a sinking boat to safety after it began to take on water while heading to the popular tourist destination Blue Lagoon Island in the Bahamas.
Passenger Sarah Plourde said the entire incident happened within minutes.
"The first floor filled with water and we had to climb to the side and climb out the window," she told Storyful. "The captain wouldn’t turn the engines off so we were scared to swim out the back due to the propeller."
Small boats were urged to remain in port
Watch: Passengers helped after jumping from sinking boat in the Bahamas
Video recorded in the Bahamas shows people trying to help passengers who jumped from a sinking boat that was headed to the popular tourist destination Blue Lagoon Island.
Meteorologists were expecting poor conditions in the area on Tuesday, and a Gale Watch was set to go into effect in the area later in the day.
In addition, the Bahamas Department of Meteorology said a Small Craft Advisory was in effect at the time, and smaller boats were urged to remain in port.
Forecasters also warned of seas between 4 and 6 feet in the open water and would build to 9 feet in northeasterly swells in the northwestern and central Bahamas.