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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Fiona Leishman

Who is missing teen baseball star Cameron Robbins who jumped off cruise ship 'as a dare'

After a teen baseball star jumped overboard on a sunset cruise in an apparent dare, a huge search effort was launched, with speculation as to what really happened to the teen growing.

18-year-old Cameron Robbins, from Louisiana, was filmed jumping off the Bahamas cruise ship without a life jacket as fellow classmates egged him on.

The teen had graduated just days earlier from the University Laboratory School in Baton Rouge. Bystanders in the video were shocked and can be heard saying: "This kid f*****g jumped off!"

But the dare quickly took a serious turn, as one person can be heard shouting: "Grab the buoy... grab the buoy".

Cameron was a recent high school graduate (Cameron Robbins/CEN)

Cameron was just feet away from the cruise ship, but he started drifting away from the buoy before disappearing into the darkness at around 11.30pm on Wednesday, May 24. The US Coast Guard were deployed to search for the missing teen, but the search was called off on Friday, May 26.

But just who is Cameron Robbins, the bright baseball star, and what was he doing on the boat? We've broken down everything you need to know.

Who is Cameron Robbins?

Cameron Robbins, 18, was a student at the University Laboratory School (U-High) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was known as a star baseball player and had been at the school for all 13 years of his education before recently graduating.

His baseball coach, Justin Morgan, paid tribute to the teen, saying: "Cameron is a kid who is truly loved by his teammates, teachers and fellow classmates.

"He is a fierce competitor on the baseball field. He is a hard worker both on and off of the playing field.

Cameron had graduated from University Laboratory School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (williamcole031/Instagram​)

"Our school community is struggling right now but hoping for the very best. Our thoughts and prayers have been and will remain with the Robbins family during this difficult time."

University Lab School Director Kevin George said in a statement soon after his disappearance: "The University Lab School Community is praying for the best possible outcome of this situation. I have been in touch with Cameron's family and at this time, authorities are still searching for him in the Bahamas.

"In times like these, we must come together and support each other. Words fall short of expressing the worry our entire school community is feeling.

"Extra counselors will be available on campus to speak with students and faculty who are struggling to process this news. Our thoughts are with the Robbins family, and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts as well."

What happened to Cameron Robbins?

Cameron was celebrating his graduation with dozens of classmates as well as students from other Baton Rouge high schools including U-High, Episcopal, Catholic, and St Joseph's Academy, according to a parent familiar with the situation.

The students were on a graduation trip, staying at Atlantis Paradise Island in Nassau, the parent told WAFB. Cameron and the other students from U-High arrived in the Bahamas just hours before going on the boating excursion where Cameron would last be seen on Wednesday, May 24.

Harrowing footage shows the moment Cameron jumps off the boat before vanishing (Reddit/QuietWest3764)
Cameron jumped into the water without a life jacket (Reddit/QuietWest3764)

The teens had set off on a sunset cruise in a boat designed to look like a pirate ship called Blackbeard's Revenge. Witnesses say Cameron was reacting to a dare when he jumped overboard.

He can be seen jumping into the water in swimming trunks with no life vest, splashing in the water several feet from the boat before drifting off. Stunned passengers can be heard saying: "Oh my f*****g god. Oh, shut the f**k up. Oh, bye... bye... Oh... s**t!"

Another shouts: "Grab the buoy... grab the buoy."

Cameron was described as a star baseball player (williamcole031/Instagram)

Istours, the group which organised the graduation trip, released a statement saying: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Robbins family during this incredibly difficult time. Out of respect for the Robbins family's privacy, we feel it's inapporpriate to comment on the details surrounding the night of the incident.

"Bahamaian Authorities have been conducting a thorough investigation of the incident and can provide the most accurate information once they have completed their investigation."

Coast Guard search for Cameron Robbins

The US Coast Guard were called out, deploying multiple search and rescue tactics to assist the Royal Bahamas Defence Force to try and track down the teen. In total, Coast Guard crews covered more than 325 square miles in their search for Cameron.

However, despite their efforts, Cameron was not located and the search was called off on Friday, May 26.

Lieutenant Commander Matthew Spado, Coast Guard liaison officer to the Bahamas, said: "US Coast Guard District Seven deployed multiple search and rescue assets in response to an agency assistance request from our partners in the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

"Our Coast Guard command center and aircrews based in Miami supported RBDF search and rescue efforts since the initial report Wednesday evening, and continued through Friday evening.

Cameron was described as a "kid who is truly loved by his teammates, teachers, and fellow classmates." (Family Handout)

"We were informed by the RBDF this evening that they were suspending the active search efforts pending further developments, and were not requesting further Coast Guard assistance after notifying the Robbins family.

"We offer our sincerest condolences to Cameron Robbins' family and friends."

The United Cajun Navy (UCN) were also contacted by a family friend of Cameron to say he had gone missing, before deploying volunteer Bahamian vessels and aircraft near where Cameron was last seen.

In a statement, they also said they "learned that the parents of Robbins had been in contact with US Representative Garrett Graves (Louisiana 6th District) to arrange emergency travel to the Bahamas."

Cameron's family flew out to the Bahamas as searches were carried out (Cameron Robbins/CEN)

They went on to say: "UCN arranged for the lodging of the Robbins family while they were meeting with local Bahamian investigators. UCN also arranged for a charter boat to take the Robbins family out to the MOB area, as well as other parts of the search area where US and Bahamian officials had been working since early on May 24. On Sunday, May 28, the Robbins family returned to Baton Rouge."

Todd Terrell, founder and president of the UCN, said: "I hope we were able to bring closure to the family and friends of Cameron by knowing everyone did everything possible to lcoate him. Not every search in large waterway areas results in a recovery, but knowing so many people dropped everything on a holiday weekend to help with this search is a positive way to bring closure to families and friends."

Cameron Robbins' family speak out

After receiving the news that the search for Cameron had been called off, his family released a statement.

Cameron was said to be a talented baseball player (The University Lab School Community)

They said: "The Bahamas government has called off the rescue for Cameron and we are returning to Baton Rouge.

"We want to thank the Bahamas government, the US Coast Guard, the United Cajun Navy, and Congressman Garrett Graces for everything they have done for us.

"In this time of grief we thank our family, friends and well wishers for granting us the privacy we need to properly remember our son and mourn his loss."

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family through the "unimaginable situation". Cameron's mother, Shari, is described as being an "indescribably amazing teacher", with the fundraiser saying "her kindness and devotion has helped countless children throughout her career."

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