Officials: Carbon monoxide poisoning to blame for Americans’ deaths at Bahamas Sandals resort

Americans found dead at a Bahamas resort in May are now confirmed to have died from carbon monoxide poisoning, police said Tuesday.

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In a statement, the Royal Bahamas Police Force announced that all three victims died “as a result of asphyxiation due to carbon monoxide poisoning,” and said the investigation remained active and ongoing, CNN reported.

The Americans died while staying at Sandals Emerald Bay on Great Exuma, as we reported at the time. Police said at the time that there were no signs of trauma on the bodies, and that no foul play was suspected.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force identified the victims as Michael Phillips, 68; Robbie Phillips, 65, of Tennessee; and Vincent Chiarella, 64, of Florida, NBC News reported. Chiarella’s wife, Donnis, was flown to a Florida hospital in serious condition, but her present condition is unknown.

The two couples had reportedly felt ill the night prior to the incident, and had been seen by medical staff, CNN reported. The couples had eaten at different locations that night.

Weeks after the deaths, Sandals Resorts announced that it had installed carbon monoxide detectors in all guest rooms at the Emerald Bay resort, and told The Washington Post that it planned to place the devices in guest rooms at the rest of its properties as well.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Sandals told NBC News that the resort has “fully supported the investigation into this event to ensure we are doing everything possible to learn from it. Bahamian Authorities have concluded the cause was an isolated incident in one standalone structure that housed two individual guest rooms.”

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