It was May 24, 2023, and Cameron Robbins was having the time of his life. Just 18 years old, he had a bright future ahead of him. He was celebrating his graduation from the University Laboratory School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana by taking a sunset cruise of the Bahamas.
When a friend dared Robbins to jump off the ship, he couldn’t refuse. Camera footage shows him swimming away from the ship as onlookers call out in shock. One onlooker eerily shouts “Bye, bye!”
People onboard urge him to grab onto a buoy they threw into the water for him. But Cameron kept on swimming. Little did anyone know he would never be seen again.
The Crew Responds
The crew followed proper “man overboard” protocol after Cameron jumped off the Blackbeard’s Revenge cruise ship at 9:40 PM into the “heavily shark-infested waters” of Montagu Bay off Athol Island in the Bahamas. They followed all safety procedures and company policies to retrieve Cameron- but to no avail.
Coast Guard Crews were sent out and searched more than 325 square miles. They finally concluded their efforts on May 27. However, they are still welcoming information on Cameron’s whereabouts.
Anyone with new information can call the District Seven watchstanders at 305-415-6800.
The Community’s Reaction
Although Cameron’s body was never found, his parents came to terms with his death and held a memorial service on June 4. When the press tried to reach William and Shari Robbins, they commented, “We are just mourning our son right now. We appreciate your calling. We appreciate everyone’s support.”
Cameron’s obituary provided insight into the kind of young man and athlete he was. “He was a tough player, battling back from multiple injuries, known to pitch through a separated shoulder and broken hands. He hoped to continue his baseball career at the college level. Though he left this world far too soon, he lived a life full of good friends and family.”
“Though he left this world far too soon, he lived a life full of good friends and family.”
Latest Updates
Cameron’s body is yet to be discovered and shark experts believe it’s unlikely it ever will be. Kevin McMurray, who runs a website called trackingsharks.com, looked at the footage of Cameron swimming away and believes there may have been a shark in the water.
“He’s in the water and over to the left you can see it,” McMurray said.
“So my analysis is, what I think happened is, he got in the water and he was swimming around, the shark, for some reason, I’m not for sure saying it is a shark, but it looks a lot like a shark- essentially it comes and surfaces and there’s a life ring out to his right.
“I think all that splashing we see is just him trying to get away from whatever it is.”
“So he’s looking at whatever popped up out of the water, and instead of swimming toward the life ring he turns around at that point. I think all that splashing we see is just him trying to get away from whatever it is.”
McMurray goes on to say that recovery of Cameron’s body is possible but it’s a long shot. “Recovering it would be nearly impossible,” he said.
