A June 15 security alert from the U.S. Embassy in Nassau urges Americans to avoid jet ski rentals and rides, citing reports of sexual assaults and accidents tied to lax enforcement of safety rules in the Bahamas. The warning also points to high-risk pickup are
The moment a vacationer accepts a jet ski ride in Nassau, the trip can turn into something far darker than a beach excursion.
On June 15, the U.S. Embassy in Nassau issued a security alert telling Americans to avoid operating or accepting jet ski rides from local operators. pointing to “the risks of operating or accepting rides from operators of jet skis due to the lack of enforcement of safety regulations in the Bahamas.” The embassy urged travelers not to rent jet skis in the Caribbean country and to be wary of solicitations from operators. especially near the Cruise Port. Junkanoo Beach. Arawak Cay. and the islands east of Paradise Island.
The warning lands in the middle of a broader travel climate. The Bahamas is under a Level 2 U.S. travel advisory as of June 15, urging visitors to “exercise increased caution” due to violent crime, including armed robberies, burglaries, and sexual assaults.
The embassy’s alert traces risk not only to accidents, but to a safety gap it says has left passengers exposed. It singled out concerns about operators who may not follow rules and, in some cases, may not have safeguards in place for visitors.
The warning echoes an earlier U.S. government caution. Last year, the U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory focused on “swimming-related risks,” linking jet skis and boating risks to beach safety. That advisory also detailed reports of sexual assaults and raised concerns over potentially unlicensed or uninsured operators. as well as cases in which operators ignore weather warnings yet still take people out.
The same pattern is reflected in the embassy’s internal reporting. Since 2024, the embassy has received multiple reports of Nassau-based jet ski operators sexually assaulting women who are U.S. citizens. The embassy said two U.S. women reported sexual assaults in 2025, while three others reported sexual assaults in 2024.
One report that drew attention to the allegations came from The Tribune, a Bahamian media outlet. In April 2025, it reported two alleged rape cases by U.S. women against local jet ski operators in which the tourists were taken to isolated islands and assaulted. The outlet said one victim was a 23-year-old cruise passenger, and that the man has since been charged.
After the allegations, a new rule aimed at limiting exposure took effect in March 2026. Acting Port Controller Senior Commander Berne Wright said the change prohibits jet ski operators from riding with guests to reduce the opportunity “for unwanted sexual misconduct,” according to The Tribune.
In the embassy alert, the alleged assaults were tied to the way rides are solicited and where they take passengers. Some of the women said the male operators assaulted them after soliciting them for jet ski rides from small islands just east of Paradise Island. downtown Nassau. and Paradise Island beaches. The alleged assaults reportedly took place “on isolated islands near Nassau.”.
Safety incidents are part of the same warning. The embassy alert said the lack of regulations and enforcement has also led to accidents involving Americans. including a death in August 2025. It said an unlicensed operator driving an unregistered boat in the waters of Paradise Island struck an American riding a jet ski.
Since August 2024, the embassy said six Americans were hospitalized with injuries due to jet ski accidents, with three needing emergency medical evacuations to the United States.
Taken together. the embassy’s June 15 message leaves little room for ambiguity: the risk described isn’t limited to paperwork or general safety culture. It connects weak enforcement to both serious medical harm and allegations of violence reported by U.S. citizens, with specific locations where travelers are being approached.
For Americans planning a trip, the embassy’s advice is straightforward: avoid renting jet skis and be wary of operators who solicit rides—particularly near the Cruise Port, Junkanoo Beach, Arawak Cay, and the islands east of Paradise Island.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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