A New Year’s Day catamaran cruise was marred by tragedy when one of the passengers, an elderly British national drowned off the west coast yesterday.

The passengers on the catamaran had stopped for lunch at Thunder Bay, St. James and the UK visitor went for a swim.

Around 2pm the 80 year old man was spotted floating and taken from the water.

It was unsure how long he had been submerged but CPR was administered and at 2 :15 he was transported to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he was pronounced dead in the emergency room around 2 45 Pm.

The police say it was an otherwise generally quiet New Year’s weekend.

Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Rodney Inniss, reports no other major incidents.

Police PRO, Inspector Rodney Inniss.