Annabel Lee yu-Mei
Royal Caribbean Voyager Of The Seas
Grand Cayman Death - February 16, 2005
Annabel Lee Yu-Mei
Date: February 16, 2005
Cruise Bruise: Death
Bruise Location: Grand Cayman
Age: 39
Home Town: Taiwan
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
Ship: Voyager Of The Seas
Details:
Annabel was on a dive excursion aboard the Mermaid, a small dive vessel with 117 passengers. They took the dive excursion while sailing aboard the Voyage Of The Seas near Grand Cayman.
Voyager of the Seas, which came to Grand Cayman on 16 February 2005. Annabel died as a result of drowning, though she didn't want to go into the water, and nobody saw her go into the water according to one witness at the coroner's inquest.
Mr. Silverio Brandt Watson, a diver who worked aboard the dive vessel, Mermaid, says the day of the incident he prepared the vessel for passengers who had pre–booked for two snorkel trips.
On the day of the incident, snorkel gear was handed out, including snorkel, fins and vest. All snorkelers wore a life vest or snorkel vest and were briefed on the use of gear.
No passenger showed any sign of not understanding the briefing. When they reached the Barrier Reef in North Sound, the passengers started jumping in the water.
Mr. Watson said he recalled three women who appeared to be of Chinese nationality. The one who looked the oldest (Annabel) appeared to not want to go into the water. He helped the other two get into the water and hold onto an O–ring.
He saw the older lady (Annabel) sit on the bottom deck with the snorkel gear in her hand.
He guided the other two women (her friends). One of them said she was tired because she was having trouble breathing, so he gave her to another lifeguard. Minutes later he saw that lifeguard pulling the woman onto the boat.
When the captain sounded the horn, they swam back to the boat. The captain then counted the passengers and said all were accounted for. Mr. Watson said he did not see the older woman at that time, but she could have been anywhere on the boat.
When they got to Stingray City, one of the Chinese girls came to him and said she could not find the older woman. He and the captain checked the boat, then went back to Barrier Reef but did not find her.
Later they received a radio transmission that another boat had picked up the body of a woman, and took it to shore.
“I still cannot understand how this lady turned up dead because she refused to get in the water and I saw her on the boat,” Mr. Watson said.
Ms Hui Ying said she and her two friends were ready for snorkelling. Annabel Lee found her life jacket could not pump up. Therefore she had to return to the ship to replace a new one. So many people were in the group they got separated. She returned to the ship first, then her other friend. Together they looked for Annabel but could not find her, then went to the crew.
Mr. Alistair Clarke and Mr. Steven Foster, both dive instructors with Red Sail Sports, provided details of seeing a woman floating in the water and pulling her out. There was no movement. They had found her in 10–15 feet of water, about 100 yards away from the Mermaid and two other boats. They carried her to shore, where they were met by an ambulance crew.
Mr. Eugene Badresingh was the captain of the Mermaid. According to his statement, he carried cruise ship passengers from the Yacht Club to the snorkel sites. He left with 117 passengers and three life savers.
When he arrived at the barrier reef, three ladies needed help, as they declared they were not good swimmers. A senior lifeguard offered to accompany them and two accepted. The third, Annabel Lee, decided not to go. She said she was scared, so she went and sat on the glass–bottom deck. She, a pregnant woman and a young child stayed on board.
About 10.35am he called all the passengers back on board the boat and went to the next site, anchoring at 10.46. The two women came to him and said their friend was missing.
The coroner did not find the statement and asked the officer if he recalled its contents. His recollection was that the vest was not holding air; it was defective.
