By ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

Bahamian tour and excursion boat operators yesterday argued that the industry’s safety protocols are in line with international standards including when they have to deal with drunken passengers.

Robert Thompson, owner of Robert’s Island Adventures based in Exuma, responded to the findings and recommendations of the US Coast Guard report into the student who disappeared after jumping off the Blackbeard’s Revenge by asserting that - while safety regulations are more than adequate - captains and crew must be aware of intoxicated passengers and maybe prevent them boarding their boats.

“That’s why, when you have intoxicated passengers on the boat, you got to be very alert and be careful, and watch them and make sure that they’re in communication and everything,” Mr Thompson added. “Because if they start off in the morning, you see them start drinking a lot, you got to know when to cut them off because they could get very obnoxious and stuff like that.

“It [alcohol] should be limited on party boats because they really carry on bad. Those boats in Nassau, they carry on bad. But fortunately, with our guests, there’s such a long distance for them to travel, so they’re a little cautious on how much they drink because it’s such a long way.

“And most of them, like 98 percent of them, they really do good. They don’t get out of the way or anything like that. You’ll find one or two get little loud mouths. But they’re also nervous about getting too drunk because they know they’re far away from home,” Mr Thompson added.

“The thing about it is you wouldn’t know if a person is drunk until the trip is half-way through because most of them, they don’t come on the boat intoxicated. They come on the boat sober but they get drunk while they’re on the boat. So that’s the problem you got to deal with.”

The US Coast Guard report conceded that the main factors leading to Cameron Roberts’ disappearance on the night of May 24, 2023, was his “intentional jumping” off Blackbeard’s Revenge while under the influence of alcohol, plus his “lack of attempts... to swim towards the vessel “or the two life rings thrown in his general direction”.

However, the document also cited “the lack of appropriate safety equipment”, with the vessel’s safety management system referring to the use of “a small rescue craft carried on board” despite the fact none existed or were present. And there was a “lack of oversight for signs of intoxication of passengers on a crowded vessel”, the report suggesting “timely intervention could have prevented this tragic accident”.

Mr Thompson said if Mr Robbins appeared intoxicated before boarding, he should not have been allowed to board the vessel. “If somebody like that comes on my boat, and they’re intoxicated before they get on the boat, they don’t go on my boat,” he added.

“I just cancel their reservations. Their reservation should be cancelled right there on the spot. Because if they come in on that boat drunk, they come out on our boat to drink more. That’s more of a problem. They’ll get refunded right there.”

Kate Nottage, first mate for My Bahamas Private Tours & Excursions, added: “We have a strict policy against boarding visibly intoxicated guests, and we actively monitor alcohol consumption during the tour. Safety is always our first priority, and this is especially crucial given that many of our tours include swimming and snorkelling.

“We take extra precautions to ensure that everyone onboard is in a safe state to participate in water activities and fully enjoy the experience.”

The US Coast Guard’s report, as it related to recommendations specifically targeted at Bahamian tour and excursion boat operators, said: “It is recommended that any company offering tours or excursions to its customers develop written procedures and guidelines for its staff so that there is consistent application of company policies.

“It is recommended that commercial passenger vessel operators develop safety policies and practices to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. This includes the carriage of safety and lifesaving equipment that has been proven to be effective in the recovery of persons overboard.” Tighter alcohol controls were also suggested for Bahamian operators.

The report also suggested The Bahamas implement reforms that “address variations in safety equipment, crew training and operational oversight”, and that “The Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) promptly review and upgrade safety equipment standards including fitting life rings with retroreflective tape and water activated lights”.

It also stated that vessels should “carry rescue craft and automatic external defibrillators (AED), set proper passenger capacity establish minimum crew manning levels, and implement regular crew training and emergency drills tailored to each vessel’s specific requirements”.

Ms Nottage, asserting that safety is My Bahamas’ priority and that it mostly exceeds all the recommendations put forth by the US Coast Guard report, added that the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and Royal Bahamas Police Force have been enforcing safety rules.

“We have also noted the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and Royal Bahamas Police Force have recently increased enforcement of safety rules, such as harbour speed limits and vessel checks for proper documentation, insurance and safety equipment,” she said. “We are fully on board with these efforts, as they help ensure consistent standards across the industry and create a safer environment for both visitors and residents.”

Meanwhile, responding to assertions that The Bahamas did not fully co-operate with the US probe, Wayne Munroe, the national security minister, said he did not receive “any requests from the Coast Guard routed through the Ministry of National Security for any information” regarding the presumed death and disappearance of Robbins.

He added that the Royal Bahamas Defence Force normally works with the US Coast Guard, adding: “There’s a Coast Guard liaison officer in the US embassy, and they have always reached out to us.” However, Mr Munroe said he is unaware of requests made for information on this investigation.

“I’ve not received any requests from the Coast Guard routed through the Ministry of National Security for any information,” Mr Munroe said. “Generally, we receive them. Their embassy communicates with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who then sends a request on to us, and we direct it to the relevant agency.

“But the Coast Guard works directly with the Royal Bahamas Defense Force. So I would be concerned to see who was the request made to, and what came of it.” The US Coast Guard report asserted that its investigators had been given limited access by Bahamian authorities to witnesses, the scene and the investigation’s progress and findings.

“Despite repeated US Department of State diplomatic notes, phone calls and correspondence, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas would not officially grant US Coast Guard marine casualty investigators access in The Bahamas to conduct witness interviews, board the Blackbeard’s Revenge, or visit the scene of the accident,” the report asserted.

“Initially, the Government of The Bahamas answered the first diplomatic note with general answers to several questions posed by US Coast Guard investigators. The second diplomatic note requested interviews with captain, crew and vessel owners and there was no response from The Government of The Bahamas to this request.

“Despite verbal assurances via telephone conversations with senior officials in the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, this investigation was unable to gain access to witness transcripts, interview summaries and any other evidence typical for this type of investigation. The lack of co-operation by the Government of The Bahamas hampered this safety investigation,” it added.

“A formal request was made to Pirates Revenge Ltd,, the owners of the vessel, for access to information and interviews. The vessel’s owners told US investigators to access any information from the Bahamian government and provided no information to support this safety investigation.”