Cruise Guest Seriously Injured During Bahamas Shore Excursion
A 22-year-old cruise passenger celebrating a major life accomplishment is now fighting for her life after her vacation turned into a nightmare.
Hannah Smith boarded Carnival Sunrise to take her dream cruise to the Bahamas in May 2025 as a way of celebrating her recent graduation – with her long-time friend, Brooklyn Pitre, by her side.
While it’s not clear what specific sailing the duo were apart of, the Sunshine-class vessel has been alternating between 4 to 5-night sailings to the Bahamas and the Caribbean from Miami, Florida.
Hannah, who hails from Memphis, Tennessee, officially graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Communication from Miles College in Alabama on May 3, 2025. Her friend has also recently graduated, but from a college in Florida.
But unfortunately, the celebration was put to an abrupt halt as the unthinkable happened near the end of a port call on Nassau, Bahamas.
Along with other cruise passengers, the friends were on a ferry back to the cruise port from a day in Pearl Island – which is a popular tourist attraction near Nassau – when Hannah went overboard.
But rather than landing in the water near the vessel, she was sucked into the ferry’s propellers – which nearly severed her legs and caused her to lose an enormous amount of blood.
“I heard the splash, and I instantly looked. And when she first went into the water, she just made the face like somebody fell, like I’m in the water,” Pitre told local news outlet WREG. “But she didn’t look distraught, and then she disappeared for about three seconds. And I didn’t see her.”
However, the gravity of the situation quickly became apparent as Pitre and another cruise passenger pulled Hannah from the water.
“Me and another woman, we had met on the cruise ship that was on the excursion with us. We pulled her out, and then there was like a lot of blood in the water,” Pitre continued.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force, who are conducting an investigation into the unusual accident, also confirmed that the injuries were severe.
“The victim is alleged to have entered the water from a vessel she was a passenger on while it was attempting to dock. She sustained serious injuries to her lower body, caused by the vessel’s propeller,” they said in a statement shared by “The Mirror.”
Authorities also said that the ferry captain did immediately put the engine into neutral – which can usually slow the speed of the propellers or lock them – but obviously the damage had been done.
A Long Road to Recovery
For Hannah, whose condition has been listed as critical, the fight to recovery will be long and hard. After undergoing two surgeries in Nassau, Hannah was airlifted home to the US on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.
A family member, who has been posting updates on a GoFundMe that was created to help pay for Hannah’s care, shared that the young woman has just undergone her sixth procedure.
The family is hoping to raise $250,000 to cover what will be a long recovery – with more surgeries likely and lots of physical therapy required.
Read Also: From Mishaps to Maydays – Cruise Ship Accidents
Authorities are also conducting an investigation into what exactly happened – and if Hannah jumped or fell into the water on that fateful day.
But while initial police reports have indicated that the cruiser may have jumped and that alcohol could have been involved, her mother is adamant that this is not the case.
“Hannah was not intoxicated. She fell from the boat. It’s hurtful to say she jumped because she did not,” Tracy Smith said.
“Do they have fun? Yes. Were they drunk? No. Did she jump? No. Are we completely aware of what happened? No,” the mother continued.
Hannah’s father, Marvin Smith, has also shared that his initial conversations with the doctors at the hospital in Nassau indicate that his daughter was “coherent” and “not inebriated” when she arrived.
Cruise Guest Seriously Injured During Bahamas Shore Excursion