A bystander shouted the chilling goodbye “bye bye” to teen Cameron Robbins after he jumped into shark-infested waters in the Bahamas and disappeared, video shows.
Robbins, 18, went missing on May 24 after jumping from the party boat Blackbeard’s Revenge off the uninhabited island of Athol during a graduation trip. The search was called off two days later with no sign of the missing teen.
Video from the party boat shows the high school baseball star already in the water, with an indistinct white figure, possibly a shark, moving in the water next to him.
Screams rise from the crowd aboard the boat, as a man is heard shouting, ‘This boy f*ck jumped off! Oh my God! Oh, shut up! Oh, bye, bye!’
“Hey, grab the buoy!” shouts another person, referring to a lifebuoy in the water. The video ends as Robbins swims away from the life preserver.
Cameron Robbins went missing on May 24 in shark-infested waters. He was a standout baseball player at University Laboratory High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Meanwhile, the Louisiana teen’s family paid tribute to his life in an obituary after visiting the scene where he disappeared.
In the online obituary, his family paid tribute to their “beloved grandson, son, brother and friend” who was “a recent graduate of the University Lab School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.”
The tribute says that Robbins was adopted shortly after his birth in November 2004 and subsequently participated “in every competitive activity he could find, dominating numerous preschool YMCA and church competitions.”
It reads, “He eventually chose baseball as his first love. […] A tough player, he fought back from multiple injuries and was known for throwing through separated shoulders and broken hands. He hoped to continue his college-level baseball career.”
His family says he had recently returned from a weekend of fishing on the Louisiana Gulf Coast with his father and brother before leaving for his graduation parties in the Bahamas.
In addition to being a sports enthusiast, his family wrote “he loved his truck and country music, and was always a big star in the shower and with karaoke machines.”
He was also an avid LSU fan who regularly attended football, basketball, and baseball games. After all, he loved all things edible, especially his mother’s red beans and his grandmother’s spaghetti and meatballs. He often made late-night trips to his family’s pantry, where he ate copious amounts of fruity pebbles and popcorn.”
The tribute adds, “Although he left this world much too early, he lived a life full of close friends and family. He was funny and kind-hearted, but also intense and driven. He adored his grandparents and he took pride in his work.
“He will be desperately missed by his family and friends, who will carry their fond memories of him for eternity.”
The family is holding a memorial service on Sunday, June 4 and has requested that donations be made in his name to the charity – Christian Homes & Family Services in Abilene, Texas – an adoption agency.
Robbins (left) had only arrived on the island hours before the pirate-themed sunset boat excursion and was staying at the Atlantis Paradise Island in Nassau
Robbins is seen at the prom. In addition to being a sports enthusiast, his family wrote “he loved his truck and country music, and was always a big star in the shower and with karaoke machines”
The family is holding a memorial service on Sunday, June 4 and has requested donations in his name to charity – Christian Homes & Family Services in Abilene, Texas
Robbins was last seen jumping overboard near Athol Island, not far from where he was staying on Paradise Island
On Friday, the mother of one of Robbins’ friends told Fox News that it was revealed that several students tried to grab him before he took the plunge, but he broke free.
“This was a booze cruise and they were on their way back when this happened,” the unnamed woman said.
“My son texted me when it happened and said, ‘Cameron jumped off. They can’t find him.’ They were there until 2 or 3 am. The weather was terrible that night. The children were cold, wet and traumatized.
The girls wore bikinis and bathing suits. The boys gave them their shirts. It was a bad time to take drunk 18 year olds to the water near this island where there is nothing.’
Robbins had been on the island for just a few hours before joining the party cruise along with dozens of recent graduates, who traveled to the Caribbean hotspot just days before the tragedy to celebrate finishing high school.
But the mother said the other graduates were left in shock and disbelief after Robbins broke free and jumped into the water, sparking an exhausting multi-day search that has since been called off.
Terrifying footage captured the moment Robbins was thrown a lifebuoy by one of his fellow students, then swam away for help as a shadowy image circled below.
The ominous video has fueled speculation that he may have been attacked by a shark, and with no sign of the youngster, the multi-agency search for him was ended after two days.
Commodore Raymond King of the Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) provided an update when the search ended and confirmed that the area where Robbins went overboard is populated by a large number of sharks.
“I can tell you that the area that a person reportedly jumped over is also an area that is really shark infested,” he said.
“It’s such a shame, but I don’t want the family to lose hope.
“The chance of survival decreases significantly, especially if a person is not wearing a life jacket and especially if a person is perceived as intoxicated.”
Before the operation was called off, the United States Coast Guard deployed multiple search and rescue assets in response to receiving assistance from the Royal Bahamas Defense Force.
The extensive search to find Robbins saw officials plot and search a 325-square-mile area of the Caribbean Sea.
The 325-square-mile search for Cameron Robbins, 18, is plotted in this chart
Robbins, pictured left with his grandmother and brother, had only just graduated from high school days before the tragedy
After the search for the teen ended, his heartbroken family traveled to the Bahamas to track his latest movements.
Brian Trascher, vice president of the United Cajun Navy, told WBRZ, “It took a lot of strength for them to go there and stay for a few days.
“When we offered to take them in a boat to the area where he went overboard and part of the area they were searching, they went.
“I know it had to be very emotional for them, but they went and on Sunday they decided they wanted to go home.
“If they found a piece of clothing or any other clue, they would extend that 48-hour period, but if they don’t get a clue, they usually cancel.”
Tributes pour in for the teen as the Baton Rouge community grapples with his disappearance.
His baseball coach, Justin Morgan, said, “Cameron is a kid who is really loved by his teammates, teachers and classmates.
“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.”