A shadowy image in the water near the baseball star could explain why he swam AWAY from the lifebuoy
A shadowy image captured in the waters around a Louisiana baseball star jumping from a party boat for a challenge has led to speculation that the teen swam away from a shark.
Cameron Robbins, 18, jumped off the Blackbeard’s Revenge cruise ship at sunset last Wednesday while celebrating his high school graduation near Athol Island, in the Bahamas. The search for the missing teenager was called off last Friday.
Footage shows Robbins swimming in the water as a life preserver is thrown at him and classmates tell him to grab hold. But the teen seems to be fixated on a shadowy shape that appears in the water and immediately begins to swim away.
The video has sparked speculation online that Robbins may have met his end after a shark went after him. People have claimed that they can clearly see a shark in the video.
Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) Commodore Raymond King provided an update yesterday, confirming that the area where Robbins went overboard is “really infested with sharks.”
The shadowy image, circled at left, moves toward Robbins as he swims away from the boat. Despite a life preserver being thrown at Robbins, he can be seen swimming away from the boat
Cameron Robbins, right, pictured with friends. A few days before his disappearance, he had graduated from the University Laboratory School in Baton Rouge
On social media, one person said, “The video doesn’t lie, it was attacked by a shark and taken underwater.”
Another commented, “You can see the shark on the left side of the video,” and another was adamant that they “saw the fin” in the short video.
The Bahamas is home to very aggressive sharks, including tiger and bull sharks.
Witnesses claimed that Robbins took a challenge when he jumped overboard from the Blackbeard’s Revenge cruise ship at sunset at 11:30 p.m.
Robbins had graduated from University High in Baton Rouge just days earlier and was seen wearing his robe and smiling in an Instagram photo taken days before his disappearance.
The star athlete celebrated his recent high school graduation with dozens of other seniors from other Baton Rogue High Schools, including U-High, Episcopal, Catholic and St. Joseph’s Academy, a parent told the news outlet.
The students had only arrived on the island hours before the pirate-themed sunset boat excursion and were staying at the Atlantis Paradise Island in Nassau, the parent said.
After Robbins jumped, the boat and his crew members attempted to locate him, along with multiple agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard.
Cmdre King provided an update on the situation on Monday after the search was suspended last week.
He said: ‘The chance of survival decreases significantly, especially if a person is not wearing a life jacket and especially if a person is believed to be intoxicated.
“I can tell you that the area that a person reportedly jumped over is also an area that is really infested with sharks. It’s such a shame, but I don’t want the family to lose hope.’
The U.S. Coast Guard District Seven has deployed multiple search and rescue assets in response to getting help from their partners in the Royal Bahamas Defense Force.
They plotted and searched a 325 square mile area for the young man and called off their search last week.
Robbins, pictured on the left with his mother and brother, had just graduated from high school days ago
The students had only arrived on the island hours before the pirate-themed sunset boat excursion and were staying at the Atlantis Paradise Island in Nassau
Dozens of students, pictured here, board the sunset cruise ship that Robbins was on before jumping after acting on a challenge that turned deadly
His school community was shocked by the news and his classmates held a vigil for Robbins last week
“Our Coast Guard command center and aircrew in Miami supported the RBDF’s search and rescue efforts since the initial report Wednesday night and continued through Friday night,” a statement from the U.S. Coast Guard reads.
“We were informed this evening by the RBDF that they are ceasing active searches pending further developments and are not requesting any further assistance from the Coast Guard after notifying the Robbins family.”
“We extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Cameron Robbins.”
After the search was called off on Friday, Robbins’ family said: “The government of the Bahamas has called off the rescue of Cameron and we are returning to Baton Rouge.
“We would like to thank the Government of the Bahamas, the US Coast Guard, the United Cajun Navy and Congressman Garrett Graves for all they have done for us.
“At this time of grief, we thank our family, friends and well-wishers for giving us the privacy we need to remember our son well and mourn his loss.”
University Lab School director Kevin George said Robbins spent all 13 years of his education at the school.
In a statement last week, he said: “In times like these, we need to come together and support each other. Words fail to express the concern felt by our entire school community.”
Robbin’s social media pages highlight his baseball talent and his love for his friends and family.
Robbins was on a graduation trip involving many local high schools in the Baton Rogue area. The students stayed at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island in Nassau
Robbins was a standout baseball player for his high school and his coach described him as a “fierce competitor”
The 325-square-mile search for Cameron Robbins, 18, is plotted in this chart
Robbin’s social media pages highlight his baseball talent and his love for his friends and family.
“Cameron is a kid who is really loved by his teammates, teachers and classmates,” said his devastated U-High baseball coach Justin Morgan.
“He’s a formidable competitor on the baseball field. He is a hard worker both on and off the playing field.
“Our school community is going through a tough time right now, but we hope for the very best.
“Our thoughts and prayers are and will remain with the Robbins family at this difficult time.”