UPDATE – From RCIPS Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 9:55 AM

Water related death – Public Beach

An elderly man died yesterday morning after getting into difficulty whilst swimming off Public Beach.

About 10.55am on Thursday, police received a report that 81-year-old Louis Janvier DeBiase had lost consciousness whilst swimming near to Calico Jacks, Public Beach.

Mr.  DeBiase – a cruise ship visitor and a resident of New York, U.S. – was pulled from the water by members of the public who commenced CPR until the arrival of the emergency services. He was taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital by ambulance, but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police enquiries are ongoing however there would appear to be no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.

Ends

Original story

An 81 year old man died Thursday (13) morning after getting into difficulties swimming in the Calico Jack area on the Seven Mile Beach.

A RCIPS spokesperson confirmed they had received a report of the above incident just before 11am. An ambulance responded from the West Bay Health Clinic but appeared to be delayed in arriving at the scene. The ambulance used the DART service road because it was a shorter route but found it blocked by barricades. The ambulance then had to backtrack to get back onto the main road.

After the emergency services got to the scene and the patient was on board the ambulance tried to drive through a sandy area and got stuck.

The man, who has not been identified, was pronounced dead at the George Town Hospital.

Police said they could not confirm any details but enquiries were continuing.