PORT OF SPAIN — A jet ski incident in the Caribbean has left an American woman dead, a French national in police custody, and charges are imminent, authorities in St. Lucia said.
The incident happened on April 7, in St. Lucia. However, it wasn’t until a week later that local police publicly identified the woman who died as Jazmine Chandler-Tabb of New York. ABC News has reached out to the family of Chandler-Tabb who have not yet responded.
According to a police statement, officers responded to a call about a jet ski accident at Reduit Beach, in the northern part of the island. Authorities have not yet released the name of the owners of the jet ski.
It involved what’s called a tube – a floating device attached to a vessel on water – and a jet ski, a police source said on the condition of anonymity, as the incident remains under investigation.
In this undated file photo, Reduit Beach in Rodney Bay is shown in the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia.
STOCK IMAGE/Getty Images
“The jet ski collided into the tube, resulting in the death of the young lady, which is an American citizen,” the police source told ABC News.
Chandler-Tabb, who was visiting the island, was reportedly a passenger in the tube.
Police said Chandler-Tabb was taken to the Gros Islet Polyclinic, but she was later pronounced dead.
The jet ski was driven by a male French national, who was visiting the Caribbean country as a passenger on a cruise ship, according to the police source.
The driver of the jet ski was not allowed to leave the island with the cruise ship he came on.
“He’s in custody assisting with the investigation,” the police source said.
Local law prohibits law enforcement from releasing his name to the public since he hasn’t been officially charged. The driver of the vessel that was pulling the tube is also said to be assisting cops with the investigation.
There will be charges for related offenses based on the preliminary findings of the investigation, the police source told ABC News.
“Multiple persons will be charged for that, more than one person,” the police source said.
Authorities and other stakeholders on the Caribbean island have since met with owners and operators of jet skis. They are reviewing the policies in place, to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
