UMVA has learned that a dire warning has been issued to Americans traveling to the Bahamas, urging them to steer clear of jet ski rentals due to a spate of alarming incidents linked to rogue operators.
The U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas has sounded the alarm, revealing that unscrupulous operators are soliciting tourists on the country's most popular beaches, including Cabbage Beach, Junkanoo Beach, and Saunders Beach. These operators are often unlicensed, uninsured, and running unsafe watercraft, with law enforcement oversight described as "sporadic at best."
In a strongly worded statement, the embassy advised all U.S. citizens to avoid renting jet skis in the Bahamas, beware of aggressive solicitors near the Cruise Port and popular beaches, and always heed local weather and marine alerts. The warning comes in the wake of a series of disturbing incidents, including fatalities, injuries, and even sexual assaults.
U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas Herschel Walker delivered a stern message, stating that Americans visiting or living in the Bahamas are in grave danger when renting jet skis and small watercraft or swimming at beaches where these watercraft are being operated in shallow waters. He revealed that American lives have been lost to preventable accidents and multiple visitors have been hospitalized.
The ambassador detailed the horrific cases of American citizens who have been sexually assaulted by jet ski operators who allegedly took victims to isolated islands. Walker emphasized that many watercraft are unsafe and operators are unlicensed and uninsured, which is why U.S. government employees are banned from renting or riding jet skis.
The U.S. is working closely with the Bahamian government to address these pressing issues, with the ambassador stressing that American citizens' safety is paramount. If help is needed, the embassy urged citizens to reach out immediately.
This urgent warning follows a tragic incident in September 2025, when Alaska Air National Guard 2nd Lt. Robert Rosa was killed in a jet ski-related accident during a vacation in Nassau. There have also been reports of multiple rapes and injuries involving jet ski operators, with six U.S. citizens hospitalized since August 2024, and three requiring emergency medical evacuation to the United States.
