Friends of slain yacht crew member killed in Eleuthera launch safety initiative in her memory

Five months after the killing of South African yacht crew member Paige Bell in Eleuthera, her death is prompting renewed calls for safety reform within the yachting industry.

This week, following the arraignment of Brigido Munoz in the Bahamian court, the Mexican national charged in Bell’s death, friends and colleagues of the 20-year-old stewardess announced the launch of an industry initiative called Protecting Crew Lives (PCL). The group says its mission is to push for greater transparency, safeguarding, and awareness across the yachting sector.

Bell and Munoz were both crew members aboard Far From It, a 43-metre Richmond yacht docked at Harbour Island at the time of the incident. Munoz pleaded not guilty to the charge on Tuesday.

Those closest to Bell say her killing exposed longstanding gaps in how crew welfare and safety are handled at sea, particularly for young crew members working in close quarters, far away from home.

“Paige’s death has reinforced the urgent need for accountability and meaningful reform in yachting,” friends said in a statement, noting what they describe as the industry’s lack of consistent safeguarding principles.

Among those speaking out is Karine Rayson, director of The Crew Coach and a former chief stewardess, who says crew welfare is frequently treated as secondary in an industry focused on luxury and performance.

“This tragedy once again draws attention to known vulnerabilities in crew welfare that have existed for a long time, but are too often overlooked,” Rayson told SuperYachtNews.

She pointed specifically to the absence of mandatory criminal background checks under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), an international framework governing seafarers’ rights.

“It’s shocking that there’s no mandatory requirement,” she said. “Owners assume checks are being done, but often they aren’t. This is something the MLC must urgently review.”

Bell’s friends and colleagues say Protecting Crew Lives is about ensuring that her death leads to lasting change, not just within yachting, but in how crew safety is prioritised and enforced.

As legal proceedings continue in the Bahamas, her friends say the focus must remain on protecting the lives of crew members who work behind the scenes.