Pixabay/Jordan Lindsey/FacebookA 21-year-old student was reportedly killed by sharks while she swimming in the Bahamas on Wednesday, June 26, this week.
Jordan Lindsey, from Torrance, California, was on holiday with her parents in the Bahamas. She was snorkeling near Rose Island in the North Atlantic Ocean at around 2pm, local time, when the incident occurred.
Jordan and her family had travelled to the island on a tour boat in order to see wild pigs and snorkel in the sea.
However, while she was swimming, sharks swam apparently towards the student and started attacking her. Jordan suffered devastating injuries, suffering bites to her left arm, both legs and buttocks, while her right arm is said to have been torn off.
According to investigators, three sharks were involved. The 21-year-old’s parents say they saw the sharks approaching and tried to warn her, but Jordan didn’t hear them in time.
Jordan was rushed to Doctor’s Hospital in Nassau, but sadly she was later pronounced dead. The 21-year-old’s father, Michael, described her as ‘a great daughter and person.’
In a statement to ABC News, a State Department spokesperson said:
We can confirm a U.S. citizen in the Bahamas succumbed to her injuries following a shark attack on June 26.
Jordan’s father, Michael, spoke about the tragic event, telling NBC News:
Her name was Jordan Lindsey… we already miss her so much. She was so caring. She loved all animals. It’s ironic she would die getting attacked by a shark.
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A GoFundMe page has been set up by the Lindsey family in order to raise funds for the family to bring Jordan’s body back to California.
Posting on the site, they wrote:
Jordan Lindsey was a beloved daughter, sister, girlfriend, and friend. On June 26, 2019 Jordan was tragically killed from a shark attack in the Bahamas. Jordan had the most beautiful, gentle soul and she will be missed deeply. Jordan’s body needs to be transported from the Bahamas back to her home of California, which is very expensive. This gofundme is being set up to help Jordan’s family pay for any travel and funeral expenses for Jordan’s body. Any amount helps. Thank you.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force are still investigating the incident.
In a statement, the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation expressed its ‘condolences and deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of the victim’.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.
Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.