Arabic version: مأساة في جزر البهاما خلال عطلة ذكرى الزواج

According to BBC News, Leanne Gregory, 36, from Stapleford in Nottinghamshire, died in the Bahamas after trying to rescue her two sons when they were swept out to sea. Her husband, Nathan Gregory, said the family holiday had been an early celebration of their 10th wedding anniversary, which falls in December.

Nathan, who has returned home with the boys, said they had been snorkelling in shallow water while the family sorted towels and bags on the beach. He believes the children were swept into the ocean by a riptide. Both parents entered the sea to help them, and he said the ordeal unfolded in less than 10 minutes. The children were rescued, but Leanne could not be saved.

Nathan described his wife as his “childhood sweetheart”, saying they had known each other since infant school and had first become a couple when they were 14. He called her a hero “in life and in death” for helping rescue their sons, and said she was “the perfect mother, the perfect wife [and] the foundation of our entire family”. He also praised Royal Caribbean and Virgin Airlines for making the journey home easier.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force said officers received reports shortly after 10:00 local time on Tuesday that a woman had been found unresponsive at the North Bimini Ferry Dock. It said she had been brought there after being swept away and given CPR before being taken to a local medical clinic, where she was confirmed dead. An autopsy will be conducted and police said foul play is not suspected. The Foreign Office said it was in contact with local authorities and supporting her family. Tributes have been shared in Stapleford, while a GoFundMe for the family has raised nearly £9,000.