Photo: Instagram & YouTube
The search for Cameron Robbins has been called off but, online, people still want answers.
By Megan Quinn — Written on May 31, 2023
A video of Cameron Robbins jumping from a boat near Athol Island in the Bahamas is being closely analyzed for clues about the fate of the missing teen.
The U.S. Coast Guard called off the search for the 18-year-old Louisiana teen two days after he was recorded jumping from the boat.
On May 24, 2023, just three days after his high school graduation, Robbins and a group of other graduates were celebrating at Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas. Just hours after their arrival, the group boarded Blackbeard’s Revenge Sunset Cruise, a boat resembling a pirate ship that took guests along the clear blue waters of Atol Island to watch the sunset.
Photo: Instagram
At around 9:40 pm, a friend of Robbins dared the Baton Rogue, Louisiana native to jump off of the side of the boat, which he did, plunging into the pitch-black waters below. Alcohol is suspected to have played a role in the teen’s impulsive decision.
Many people believe that they spotted a shark feet away from Cameron Robbins in the video depicting his last moments seen alive.
A video that has been circulating the Internet, racking up over 8 million views on Twitter, depicts Robbins treading water not too far from the boat, as other guests aboard the cruise call out to him.
“This kid f–king jumped off!” the person behind the camera can be heard saying. A life bouy tossed into the water by one of the guests on the boat can be seen floating not too far away from Robbins. However, instead of heading toward it, the teen suddenly turns around and swims away from it, disappearing completely from view.
“Oh, bye-bye!” the person yells after Robbins vanishes. “This kid’s f–king gone.”
Shortly before Robbins swims away, the surface of the water can be seen breaking, as if something underneath has disturbed it. Many people believe that it is a shark fin darting toward him. “It’s definitely a shark,” one TikTok user commented. “I slowed down the original video and you can see a shark fin surface between him and the buoy which is why he swims the other way.”
Photo: TikTok
Others speculated that a shark could have pulled Robbins underwater, which would explain his sudden disappearance. “From what I can see, the shark was already biting his feet before grabbing his leg and pulling him under,” another user wrote.
They also noted that a shark sighting may explain why he swam away from the life buoy rather than toward it. “He initially goes for the buoy but then turns around when he sees the shark, ultimately disappearing into the water, likely dragged down. Very sad,” one user commented.
The Bahamas is home to many shark species, including Tiger sharks and Bull sharks, a couple of the most aggressive species to humans. In 2019, two shark attacks occurred in just a two-week period, with one claiming the life of a 21-year-old American tourist.
Although their diets primarily consist of turtles and fish, this does not mean that humans are invincible to attacks. Sharks will often “bump and bite” potential prey to investigate if they are worth hunting and eating. Sharks often hunt at night and are attracted by splashing and frantic movements, another explanation many people have used to claim that Robbins was attacked by a shark.
Others suggest that Robbins drowned, and was not attacked by a shark.
Although, others are not too convinced that a shark is responsible for Robbins’ disappearance. Some speculate that the teen was sucked underneath the water by the boat’s propellers or dragged away by the current. Others assume that he exhausted himself from swimming in the dark water for a long time and eventually drowned.
Although sharks are known to infest the waters surrounding the Bahamas, the odds of being attacked by one are still less than one in 4 million.
The boat and crew remained in the area for several hours after Robbins jumped in and attempted to search for him with no luck. The U.S. Coast Guard called off the search for the teenager after reportedly scouring over 325 square miles. He is still yet to be found.
Days after the tragedy, the Director of University Lab School, where Robbins graduated, released a statement describing him as a “great kid.” “He’s an athlete…great smile, great head of hair,” he told WBRZ. “Just one of the kids you’re so proud of when they cross the stage.”
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news.