Cape Town – A memorial service for Paige Bell, a 20-year-old South African murdered aboard the luxury yacht Far From It in the Bahamas, will be held in Durban on July 31 at Open Skies Church, followed by a reception at the Kloof Country Club.
“Please join us in honouring the life and memory of our precious daughter and sister Paigey whose time with us was heartbreakingly brief, yet infinitely beautiful and filled with so much love laughter and joy. Thank you for holding Paigey and our family in your hearts and for walking beside us in this devastating time of sorrow and remembrance of our precious baby girl. We are truly grateful for each act of kindness shown,” Times Live quoted Paige’s parents John and Michelle Bell as saying.
Paige, a former Hillcrest High School pupil, was killed days before her 21st birthday on July 3.
According to Daily Mail, her body was discovered in the engine room with slash wounds to her neck and signs of a possible sexual assault.
Mexican engineer Brigido Munoz, 39, a fellow crew member, was arrested after being found with serious self-inflicted injuries near her body, which showed signs of a violent attack.
A fellow crew member has been charged with murder in the death of 20-year-old Paige Bell. 39-year-old Brigido Munoz appeared in court in Nassau charged with Murder. He is accused of cutting the throat of the stewardess during a Bahamas trip.
The court heard that Bell was found… pic.twitter.com/T44BaSroK9
— N’ Cuffs (@NCuffs1) July 10, 2025
Paige’s brutal murder has exposed the dark, often hidden dangers faced by crew members in the yachting industry, IOL reported.
Her death has reignited calls for reform, with activists and industry professionals warning that violence, abuse, and unsafe working conditions are far more common than publicly acknowledged, the report said.
Sandra Jordaan of The Yacht Purser and other advocates said the industry has long resisted accountability and mandatory safeguards, such as criminal background checks for crew.
“As a mother, the pain is unimaginable; as a woman, I am angry. As an activist who has been working behind the scenes to make the yachting industry a safer space, I am not surprised. This was not a question of if, but when,” the report quoted Jordaan as saying.
Crew agent Erica Lay and former yacht workers also spoke out, sharing disturbing personal stories of assault, bullying, and suicides — often suppressed by captains and management to protect reputations.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
