A cruise ship owned by Costa Cruises supplied fuel to a boat that had gone adrift in the Atlantic Ocean on December 14.
Costa Fascinosa was on a transatlantic Caribbean sailing from Tenerife, Spain to Bridgetown, Barbados when a Canadian-flagged boat received a distress call.
The captain of the Italian cruise ship, Fabio Bramato, diverted the vessel from its course and began heading south at 5 pm.
By 9 p.m., they located the ailing craft Elefance and deployed a lifeboat with extra fuel. According to Italian news outlet Il Nuovo Quotidiano di Puglia, the yacht’s mast was damaged, affecting its ability to sail to Cape Verde. The five people onboard were unharmed but also out of drinking water.
Costa Fascinosa’s passengers cheered as the lifeboat finished delivering essential supplies. Its crew remained in contact with Elefance until the boat reached its destination three hours later.
Costa Fascinosa left Italy on December 5, calling on Marseille, Barcelona, Cadiz, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife along the way. It will arrive in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, on December 19, concluding its 14-night voyage.
Last month, cruise ships played vital roles in at least three rescue operations. The new Disney Cruise Line vessel, Disney Treasure, rescued four seafarers from a sinking catamaran.
Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas was instrumental in saving a family of six and their black Labrador retriever from a sailboat experiencing severe mechanical issues. The most recent incident involved a man whose boat had capsized near Cuba. Celebrity Reflection, owned by Celebrity Cruises, came to his aid despite rough waters.
Under international maritime law, cruise vessels must respond to and assist anyone distressed at sea. This mandate is outlined in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).
It requires shipmasters to alter their course and aid individuals in danger, provided it does not endanger their ship or passengers.
This long-standing maritime tradition ensures safety and cooperation on the high seas, making it a crucial aspect of the cruise industry’s operations.
