A 60-year-old visitor from New York was swept into rough surf at Cabbage Beach in the Bahamas and became trapped by a temporary construction fence that blocked her way out. Lifeguards and beachgoers pulled her to shore, where emergency responders assessed her; the incident has intensified concerns about the fence’s effect on public safety and beach access.

The rescue took about a minute, with vendors, witnesses and two lifeguards helping to bring the woman through a gap in the fence. The fence was erected during construction and has drawn protests from vendors and beach-access advocates, who say it restricts access and threatens safety. The environment minister said the developer had not given adequate notice and that the government had asked for the fence to be removed, with the Ministry of Works prepared to take it down if necessary.