Royal Cayman Islands Police Service officers were called out twice on Wednesday to investigate more reports of young people jumping off the cliffs at Pedro bluff in the district of Bodden Town.
The calls came just a few days after 21-year-old Adam Rankine became the second young victim to die in the waters off the bluff after jumping into rough seas and drowning. Mr. Rankine’s death happened less than a week after another youngster, 16-year-old Justin Henry, died after jumping into the waters from the same cliffs.
RCIPS Chief Inspector Robert Scotland, the police station commander for the eastern districts on Grand Cayman, said Wednesday that police were unable to confirm reports that anyone actually jumped off the cliffs on Wednesday.
Mr. Scotland said police did receive two reports of individuals congregating in the Pedro bluff area; one at 10.55am and one at 12.30pm. Authorities responded to the scene both times.
“No persons were observed to be in the water or to have recently jumped into the water,” Mr. Scotland said.
On the first police response, there were five people at the bluff location and on the second response there were two people in the area, police said.
“The officers advised the persons at the location of the dangers involved in jumping from the cliffs and also of the two recent deaths which had occurred,” Chief Inspector Scotland said.
The afternoon of 26 December, Justin Henry went missing when he and a friend jumped into the waters off the bluff, which is located on private property near to the historic Pedro St. James Castle tourism site. Justin’s body was found the next day by marine unit search crews. The friend who jumped into the water attempting to assist Justin made it out unharmed.
On New Year’s Day, Adam Rankine leapt from the cliffs. He was reported missing around 4.30pm that day and his body was found about one hour later.
Police, fire and marine unit rescue crews responded to the scene of each incident and kept up a search until dark fell on 26 December. However, the best efforts of rescue crews could not save either young man.
Cayman Islands Health Minister Mark Scotland said government and police are working on potential solutions to the problem. Minister Scotland said he understands cliff jumping in the Pedro area has gone on for decades and he knows the children of some local residents who have participated in the activity.
“I think people have done it for a long time,” he said.
The difficulty with this particular location is that it is on private property, and government cannot simply regulate access to it as it normally would Crown land.
Chief Inspector Scotland said police were in discussions with the land owner to attempt to erect warning signs in the area regarding the dangers of cliff jumping. Those signs had not been put up by press time Thursday.
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Attn RCIP Comm. Baines,
could it be that some drug dealer in the Pedro Castle area is dealing some kind of weird, or sycadelic drug to these young kids that lures them in to the water to their death? Its not impossible, lets hear the autopsy of these recent deaths.
I think we may be onto something here with these youths jumping off the cliff. What kind of books have they been reading? there is a Satanic Cult of Bohemian Grove that its practices involve jumping off cliffs!It is demonic and damning.
Is our young people involved in Satanism in the Cayman Islands, someone need to check what they’re reading and who they’re hanging out with.
We denied there were gangs in the schools
Are we going to deny that there are some young people involved in Satanism, that is demon worship Satanic Worship? Where are they getting these books from?
One thing we are sure of. God did not tell them to jump.
Someone please research this some more to prove what I am saying is true.
This is definitely SATANIC!
@Vietnam
that has to be the dumbest thing I’ve ever read. I weep for Cayman.
All these stupid comments!!Kids have been have jumping off that cliff for centuries….i have myself and had friends come to the edge of death out there. It has to do with machismo with inner circles…nothing more nothing less. I must say its not the smartest thing to do but it is fun. Unfortunate with these two young men who underestimated the difficulty of this jump, you need to be a strong swimmer and time the waves so you don’t get bashed on the rocks and end up uncounscience. Has nothing to do with drugs so pls don’t waste your time and the readers time by posting such ludacris remarks. Thankyou