A 22-year-old Alabama woman is fighting for her life after a tragic boating accident during a graduation celebration in the Bahamas left her with catastrophic injuries.
Hannah Smith, a recent graduate of Miles College, was severely injured when she was sucked into the propeller of a pontoon boat during a luxury cruise excursion. The incident occurred on May 22 near Pearl Island as the ferry was docking at the Nassau Cruise Port, according to reports.
Smith had just earned her degree in the arts and was celebrating her achievement when she reportedly fell into the water from the side of the boat. Her legs were partially severed by the vessel’s propeller.
Witnesses told authorities that two quick-thinking passengers saw Smith in the water, grabbed her by the arm, and pulled her back onto the boat, effectively saving her life. She was rushed to a hospital in Nassau, then airlifted to the United States for emergency surgery.
Smith remains in critical condition, according to her family.
Her parents, Tracy and Marvin Smith, have pushed back against rumors that alcohol played a role in the accident.
“Hannah was not intoxicated,” her mother stated emphatically. “She fell from the boat. It’s hurtful to say she jumped because she did not.”
Her father confirmed that doctors in the Bahamas said Hannah was coherent and not inebriated when she was brought in for initial treatment.
The boat’s captain told police that he heard screams and a loud noise from the starboard side just after docking. He shut off the engine and reportedly saw Hannah in the water surrounded by blood.
The cruise was booked through Carnival Sunrise, and the trip to Pearl Island was part of a scheduled excursion. Police in the Bahamas have launched an investigation into the accident.
As of this report, no criminal charges have been filed, but the incident raises serious questions about passenger safety protocols during boat excursions.
