In the Bahamas, a 20-year-old woman from South Africa has been discovered deceased on a luxury superyacht, prompting the arrest of a fellow crew member related to her murder.
According to the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF), the victim was found with visible injuries in the yacht’s engine room on July 3, while the vessel was stationed off Harbour Island. Her family identified her on social media as Paige Bell, a stewardess from Johannesburg.
Officials reported that Bell was declared missing shortly before 1:00 p.m. Upon arrival, authorities found her unresponsive, alongside a 39-year-old man who had “severe injuries to his arms,” injuries believed by police to be from an attempted suicide.
A local doctor pronounced Bell dead on board, according to the RBPF statement posted publicly on July 3.
Bell, 20, would have turned 21 just 11 days after her death. She was affectionately called “Paigey” by her family. (Crew & Concierge via Facebook)
“It is with broken hearts that we share the devastating news that our beautiful Paigey’s life was brutally taken from us,” the family said on July 4. “We will leave no stone unturned until the guilty is brought to justice.”
Harbour Island, where the yacht was docked at the time of the incident, is a small but exclusive destination about 60 miles east of Nassau, known for attracting celebrity visitors and superyachts.
Bell had previously worked on the motor yacht Sweet Emocean, where former crewmates described her as “more than a teammate — she was family.”
Bell had previously served as a stewardess onboard the Sweet Emocean. (Chelsey Jacobs via Facebook)
A GoFundMe page created by colleagues and friends has raised more than $42,000 to assist the Bell family with travel and legal costs as well as to retrieve her body. According to the fundraiser, Bell would have turned 21 on July 14. In her honor, her mother has asked supporters to eat red velvet cake, Paige’s favorite, and share a photo in remembrance.
