Tragic Turn: Young Stewardess's Death Sparks Urgent Call for Yacht Crew Safety

Last year, a 20-year-old South African yacht stewardess was discovered dead after being murdered by another crew member. On July 3, 2025, Paige Bell, 20, from Johannesburg, was found partially undressed with her throat slashed in the engine room of the £9. 5million ($12.

8million) charter yacht Far From It after hours of searching. A survey has been released to help protect yacht crews Brigido Muñoz, a 39-year-old Mexican engineer working alongside Paige below deck , has been charged with her murder after being found beside her body covered in blood, with a knife in his hand and with both his wrists slashed, in what police believe was a suspected suicide attempt. Bell was described as a golden girl by her family.

Credit:GoFundMe In the latest update since Bell’s tragic death just weeks before her 21st birthday, charity Protecting Crew Lives (PCL) is calling on superyacht crew members to take its survey on their living and working conditions. Chantal Johnson, co-founder of PCL, said in a press release: “This data will build a collective and undeniable voice for crew, one that PCL will carry and amplify, making it impossible for the industry to ignore. " The press release from Human Rights at Sea also warns: “The risks facing superyacht crew begin even before they board a vessel, says Coetzer.