US Embassy warns to avoid jet ski rentals in Bahamas

The U.S. Embassy in Nassau has issued a stark warning to American citizens, advising them to avoid renting jet skis in the Bahamas due to serious safety risks, including fatal accidents, severe injuries, and reported sexual assaults. The advisory, released on Monday, June 15, 2026, specifically highlights dangers around Nassau and Paradise Island.

In a video statement, U.S. Ambassador Herschel Walker outlined the threats, stating that rogue operators, often unlicensed and uninsured, are soliciting tourists on popular beaches such as Cabbage Beach, Junkanoo Beach, and Saunders Beach, as well as near the cruise port. He noted that law enforcement oversight of these operations is sporadic. The embassy has banned all U.S. government employees from renting or riding jet skis while in the country.

Officials cited a pattern of incidents to justify the warning. This includes the death of a U.S. citizen in a jet ski-related accident in September 2025. Since August 2024, six American citizens have been hospitalized with injuries from such accidents, three of whom required emergency medical evacuation back to the United States.

The advisory also addresses criminal conduct, noting reports of...