Travel advisory issued for the Bahamas after spike in murders

A new travel alert has been issued by the State Department for Americans traveling to the Bahamas after a spike in murders.

The island, with a population of over 400,000 has already recorded at least 18 murders so far this year.

According to officials, the crimes have been taking place in both "tourist and non-tourist areas," in the daytime and the nighttime. 

"The majority of crime occurs on New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport) islands. In Nassau, practice increased vigilance in the "Over the Hill" area (south of Shirley Street) where gang-on-gang violence has resulted in a high homicide rate primarily affecting the local population," the alert says.

The alert also specifically voices concerns over activities on the water, saying that activities involving commercial recreational watercraft, including water tours, are not consistently regulated. 

"Watercraft may be poorly maintained, and some operators may not have safety certifications," the alert states. "Always review and heed local weather and marine alerts before engaging in water-based activities. Commercial watercraft operators have discretion to operate their vessels regardless of weather forecasts; injuries and fatalities have occurred."

In November 2023, a tourist boat sank, killing a woman in her 70s.

Anyone still looking to travel to the Bahamas is advised to not answer the door at your hotel/residence unless you know who it is, and to not physically resist any robbery attempt.