A Disney cruise ship came to the rescue of four individuals stranded at sea when their catamaran began to flood, hundreds of miles off the coast of Bermuda on Sunday, as confirmed by officials.
The incident occurred approximately 265 miles off the Bermuda coastline after a gasket on the escape hatch of the 50-foot catamaran, Serenity, failed, causing water to enter, shared Petty Officer 3rd Class Christine Bills, spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard 5th District, with the Associated Press.
Bills mentioned that the Coast Guard issued a distress call to the nearest ship for assistance.
The Disney Treasure, a cruise ship located about 80 miles from the Serenity’s position, responded to the call for help, as per Bills.
The ship was en route from Eemshaven, Netherlands, to a Port in Canaveral, Florida, when it received the distress call and promptly organized a rescue mission, stated a release from the Disney Cruise Line to the Associated Press.
The crew of the ship deployed a lifeboat to rescue the four stranded passengers. Captain Marco Nogara of the Disney Treasure commended his crew for their swift response to the emergency.
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“Our crew members worked together on the rescue, skillfully demonstrating their training and commitment to safety,” he told AP.
A plane from the U.S. Coast Guard also assisted in coordinating the rescue efforts.
Bills mentioned that a team from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City in North Carolina dispatched an HC-130 airplane to oversee the situation from above until the rescue was completed. Footage captured by the plane depicts a yellow lifeboat departing from the cruise ship to rescue those near the disabled catamaran.
A representative from Disney did not respond to NTD’s request for comment.
“Disney Cruise Line is consistently the top-rated cruise line for families because it offers something for everyone. Expanding our fleet gives more people, in more parts of the world, the opportunity to experience a vacation at sea like only Disney can provide,” he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
