Three U.S. tourists found dead at a Sandals resort in the Bahamas in May were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning, police said Tuesday.
In a statement, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said the three victims, identified as Michael Phillips, 68, and Robbie Phillips, 65, from Tennessee; and Vincent Chiarella, 64, from Florida, had died as a result of asphyxiation due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
They said an investigation into the deadly incident was still underway.
The three Americans were found dead at the Sandals Emerald Bay Resort in Great Exuma on May 6.
Chiarella’s wife, Donnis, 65, was airlifted to a hospital in Florida in serious condition. The hospital, HCA Florida Kendall in Miami, later said her health had been upgraded to “fair condition,” NBC Miami reported. Her current condition was not immediately known.
The couples had been staying in separate villas at the resort.
Police previously said an initial investigation had found that one of the couples had complained of illness the night before they were found. They had visited a medical facility, received treatment and then returned to the villa, police said.
It was not clear if the villas had been equipped with carbon monoxide detectors or if they had, whether they were working.
Sandals did not immediately respond to an overnight request for comment from NBC News.
The resort giant said in May that Bahamian authorities had concluded that the incident was “isolated” and was “in no way linked to the resort’s air conditioning system, food and beverage service, landscaping services or foul play.”
May 8, 202201:58
It said carbon monoxide detectors had “now been placed” in all guest rooms at Sandals Emerald Bay, despite not being “mandated in any Caribbean destination where we operate.” It added that detectors would be installed in all guest rooms across its portfolio.
The deaths have cast a cloud over the resort hotel since the incident unfolded. The location is billed as an “adults-only” enclave with 11 restaurants and a golf course overlooking a secluded stretch of beach.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
