Nationwide — Hannah Smith, a 22-year-old African American woman from Memphis, Tennessee, was critically injured after falling into a ferry propeller during a cruise stop in the Bahamas. She had just graduated summa cum laude and was on a celebratory trip with friends. On May 20, Hannah was returning from Pearl Island with her best friend when the accident happened, according to the Daily Mail. They had taken a Caribbean cruise aboard the Carnival Sunrise to celebrate her May 3 graduation from Miles College, an HBCU in Alabama.
As the ferry docked at Nassau Cruise Port around 3:55 p.m., Hannah reportedly fell from the side of the boat. She was pulled under and seriously injured by the propeller. Two passengers quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her back on board, preventing her from drowning.
Emergency services rushed her to a local hospital in Nassau. She was later flown back to the U.S. for surgery and remains in critical condition.
Authorities in the Bahamas suggested alcohol may have been involved, claiming Hannah jumped into the water. But her mother, Tracy Smith, denied this, saying Hannah fell by accident and was not intoxicated. She also questioned the lack of a proper safety investigation and why Hannah’s friend, who witnessed the event, hadn’t been interviewed.
The ferry captain and a deckhand told investigators they heard cries of distress and saw Hannah in the water, surrounded by blood. One of them witnessed the passengers pulling her back on board.
Hannah’s father, Marvin, said doctors reported she was alert when she first arrived at the hospital, which supports the family’s claim that she wasn’t drunk.
Family and friends described Hannah as a top student, community leader, and active member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. A GoFundMe has been set up to help cover her medical costs. It has so far raised over $46,000.
Moreover, the Royal Bahamas Police say the investigation is still ongoing.