Crew of shuttered Carnival ship help rescue 24 people, including two children, from sinking boat off the Florida coast
A Carnival Cruise Line ship rescued two dozen people, including two children, from a sinking boat 37 miles off the Florida coast, the cruise line reported Saturday.
It was not immediately clear why the smaller boat was in distress or what the vessel was doing in the waters, but its passengers were taken on board the Carnival Sensation when it started to sink. They were given life jackets, food, water and blankets.
The Miami Herald said the passengers were later transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard after being helped by the cruise ship's crew.
A spokesperson for the coast guard told Dailymail.com: 'The disabled vessel reportedly left Freeport, Bahamas, with an unclear destination at this time. The disabled vessel sank and actions are currently being taken to coordinate the transfer of the individuals ashore.'
The 855-foot-long cruise ship, which normally holds 2,000 passengers was in international waters 37 miles off the coast of Palm Beach operating with a skeletal crew, when it came upon the struggling boat.
Its passengers were of various nationalities, cruise line officials said. They were evaluated and quarantined from the crew.
Carnival cruise ships are not yet in service due to the ongoing pandemic and had no guests on board when it came to the smaller boat's aid.
This photo provided by Carnival Cruise Line shows people after being rescued by a Carnival Cruise Line ship off the Florida coast
It was not immediately clear why the smaller boat was in distress, but its passengers were taken on board the Carnival Sensation when the boat started taking on water. They were given life jackets, food, water and blankets
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended a ban on large cruises in U.S. waters through October 31. The no-sail order, initially issued in March, had been set to expire on September 30.
'Recent passenger voyages in foreign countries continue to have outbreaks, despite cruise ship operators having extensive health and safety protocols,' the CDC said. It noted cruise ships force people to share spaces that are more crowded than typical urban settings.
The CDC said it knows of 3,689 reported coronavirus cases and 41 deaths linked to cruises in U.S. waters between March and September. The agency said that is likely an undercount.
The 855-foot-long cruise ship, which normally holds 2,000 passengers was in international waters 37 miles off the coast of Palm Beach when it came upon the struggling boat. Carnival cruise ships are not yet in service due to the ongoing pandemic and had no guests on board when it came to the smaller boat's aid
Even before the CDC announced its decision, the cruise industry had voluntarily suspended U.S. sailings through October 31.
Carnival Cruise Line said on October 12 it was canceling its remaining cruises scheduled for November out of two Florida ports, as well as five cruises from Australia at the beginning of next year.
The cruise line had previously announced it was canceling for the rest of the year all U.S. cruises except for trips out of Port Canaveral and Port Miami following an extension of a no-sail order until October 31 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
But their most recent announcement nixed trips in November on the six ships operating out of the two Florida ports.
The struggling boat's passengers were of various nationalities, cruise line officials said. They were evaluated and quarantined from the crew
Cruises are still planned for December out of the two Florida ports.
'Carnival continues to work on protocols and procedures that would allow for the resumption of cruise operations, with a gradual, phased-in approach, designating Miami and Port Canaveral as the first two homeports for embarkations,' the cruise line said in a statement.
The cruise line said it was notifying guests that five cruises on Carnival Splendor out of Sydney, Australia next January and February have been canceled.