Canadian woman dies after drowning during vacation in Antigua

According to the reports, the 86-year-old woman arrived on the island two days before the incident and went for a swim at Mamora Bay.

Tuesday, 6th February 2024

Canadian woman dies after drowning during vacation in Antigua

Antigua and Barbuda: A Canadian woman reportedly lost her life as she drowned during her vacation in Antigua and Barbuda. The incident took place on Sunday at one of the island's beaches. According to the reports, the 86-year-old woman arrived on the island two days before the incident and went for a swim at Mamora Bay. On Sunday, February 4, around 11 am, the Canadian tourist faced some issues during her swim and drowned in the water, following which she was rushed to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, but despite efforts to save her, she died because of the water filled in her lungs. The Emergency Medical Services officials reported getting the distress call and arriving on the scene in just over 10 minutes, but till then, the woman was already in an unconscious state. The police officials of Antigua and Barbuda are presently engaged in an investigation to find the details surrounding the incident. In addition to this, a post-mortem examination has also been scheduled to find the exact cause of the woman's sudden death. This is not the first time that a tourist has drowned during their vacation in the twin-island nation, which calls for the government to increase security measures. The main reason behind the tourists' drowning is the absence of life guards from the beaches who can immediately help and save if someone faces difficulty during their swim. The social media users also expressed their condolences on this incident and pinpointed the government for better provisions for the tourists. "Right now, tourism department need to put their feet down with security measures for visiting beachgoers," wrote a user named Ithamar Weatherhead, while another user named Abbott called the incident 'unfortunate' and said that there are no lifeguards on any of the beaches in Antigua. Another user urged the government to investigate thoroughly and added, "Investigate, investigate bodies and husband can't allow leaving. I am still going to ask Why would I take my family there so early in the morning? That just raises a red flag, especially since they are not nationals."