Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas was on a seven-night Western Caribbean sailing when it came across seven Cuban migrants in the Atlantic in distress.
Being the closest ship to the migrants, Royal Caribbean’s captain gave orders to deploy the rescue boat to assist.
Passenger Desiree Stovall said, “The ship’s excellent rescue team coordinated with the US Coast Guard to rescue and render aid to the starved and dehydrated refugees aboard the raft. We were later informed that they had been out to sea for 10 days with nothing but small amounts of water and crackers. Overall, they were in good shape and eventually were released to the Coast Guard once they were treated, fed, and clothed.”
Freedom of the Seas is based year-round from Port Canaveral, Florida.
Video: Antonio Stovell’s YouTube