Royal Caribbean cruise ship rescues dozen people from failing raft in Caribbean

A Royal Caribbean cruise ship rescued around a dozen people who were stranded on a makeshift raft in the Caribbean Sea.

The incident occurred on Sunday, September 28, when the ship, the Enchantment of the Seas, had to change its routing plan to avoid Hurricane Humberto and Tropical Storm Imelda.

The vessel sailing between Tampa, Florida, and Costa Maya, Mexico, had collided with the damaged raft, which was reported to be beginning to disintegrate off the coast of Mexico.

According to reports from cruise fan sites, the luxury liner sent a rescue boat to reach the group.

A passenger had video footage of the rescue operation, which was captured on video and shared on the internet. Video footage shared online by a passenger shows the rescue operation unfolding in the dark. 

Once safely aboard the Enchantment of the Seas, the individuals were provided with drinking water. As is standard procedure for such rescues, the group is expected to be handed over to the appropriate authorities as the ship approaches land.

This is not the first Royal Caribbean ship to get involved in a life-saving operation this year. 

In February, the Brilliance of the Seas rescued 11 refugees who were drifting and taking on water in the Gulf of Mexico.

In that incident, the ship responded to a small boat that spotted a “white flag of distress.”

Passengers watched from the decks as the crew launched a pilot boat to bring the exhausted individuals to safety.

One of the passengers on the Brilliance of the Seas told CNN, “I can only imagine the fear that they must have been feeling to be out in the open Gulf with no other vessel around.”

The Enchantment of the Seas' recent rescue highlights the uncertainties that surround maritime travel and the importance of large vessels in responding to emergency situations at sea.