British mother who died in Bahamas was celebrating 10th wedding anniversary

A woman who died as she tried to save her two sons when they were being swept out to sea in the Bahamas was celebrating her 10th wedding anniversary, her husband has said.

Leanne Gregory, 36, died after attempting to save her two sons while snorkelling in the Caribbean islands.

The family were on an expedition off the southern end of Bimini on Tuesday morning when powerful currents took hold of the boys.

The children were pulled out from the water in time, but Mrs Gregory, who was taken to North Bimini Ferry Dock, was unresponsive and was later pronounced dead in hospital.

Her husband Nathan Gregory said the trip had been an early celebration for their anniversary in December.

“Our relationship was perfect. She was the perfect mother, the perfect wife the foundation of our entire family,” he told the BBC.

In a GoFundMe page, which has raised nearly £10,000 for their children, Mr Gregory wrote: "We were childhood sweethearts, my one and only. 22 years into our relationship at only 36-years-old.

"We had our whole lives ahead of us and it has all been taken away.

"I just have to be thankful for the hero she was in life and in death, and totally grateful for the fact my boys got out safely.

"Thankful for the people in the boat that noticed me flag it down after I struggled out the water, and got them out.

"Thankful to the lady that helped me try bring her back when the boat returned.

"Thankful for my boys for remaining strong after seeing something nobody should ever see.

"But mainly thankful to my brave, amazing wife for keeping my boy above the water even as you were sinking.

"You will be forever loved by everyone you knew and I know you will continue to watch over us."

Linty Stuart, the owner of L&A Water Taxi, told the Bahamian broadcaster ZNS that he captained the boat that pulled the family from the water after his crew spotted “frantic hands waving in the distance”.

“I immediately went to see what they [crew members] were calling me for,” he recalled. “I saw them pointing towards the west side. I saw two boys and their mother.”

Mr Stuart said the strong currents made the recovery efforts “extremely difficult” and by the time they got to Mrs Gregory, she was already “face down” in the water.

“At least a 7ft to 8ft wave... almost turned the whole vessel over... it shot me down,” he added about the challenging conditions. “Everything happened really, really fast. It’s a shock.”

“According to the preliminary report, shortly after 10am, officers at the Alice Town Police Station received information that a female was unresponsive at the North Bimini Ferry Dock,” the force said in a statement.

“Officers responded and, upon arrival, learned that the woman had been transported to the local clinic for medical attention, where she was subsequently pronounced dead by a local doctor despite efforts to save her life.

“Preliminary information indicates that the deceased was snorkelling with her husband and two sons near the southern point of the island when a strong current reportedly swept both children away.

“In an attempt to rescue her sons, the woman was also swept away. She was later rescued and transported to the ferry dock, where CPR was reportedly administered.”