A dream voyage aboard a multimillion-dollar superyacht turned into a chilling nightmare when 20-year-old South African stewardess Paige Bell was found dead in the engine room of the Far From It, a 43-metre luxury vessel docked at the elite Harbour Island in the Bahamas.
Picture/Paige Bell/Facebook
Authorities say Paige, who hailed from Johannesburg and was just days away from celebrating her 21st birthday, was discovered with her throat slashed and bearing signs of a violent struggle.
She was found partially unclothed and may have been sexually assaulted, according to prosecutors. A male colleague, Mexican national Brigido Munoz (39), now stands accused of her murder.
Munoz, who served as the yacht’s engineer, appeared in a Bahamian court in Nassau this week. The court heard that the young woman’s body was found next to him in the engine room, where he was reportedly suffering from self-inflicted wounds to his arms in what police suspect was a failed suicide attempt.
He was taken into custody after receiving treatment at a nearby clinic. Bail was denied, and he will remain behind bars until his next court appearance in November.
The Far From It yacht, which boasts five opulent suites and rents for up to £ 120,000 per week, had been docked in the upscale enclave often dubbed ‘Billionaire’s Backyard,’ a playground for the global elite, frequented by the likes of Bill Gates, Mick Jagger, and Tom Hanks.
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Paige, described as full of life, love, and light by those who knew her, had previously worked aboard the Sweet Emocean and was building a promising career in the superyacht industry. She was well-loved among her crew and had touched many lives, both professionally and personally.
‘She was the kind of person who lit up a room with her presence,’ wrote her former crewmates on a GoFundMe page launched to support her grieving family. Over $42 000 has already been raised to cover costs and help honour Paige’s memory. Her family plans to commemorate her birthday on 14 July by asking friends and supporters to eat red velvet cake, her favourite, and share photos in her honour.
South Africa’s Department of International Relations has yet to comment on the tragedy, while police in the Bahamas continue their investigation into the full circumstances surrounding her death.
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