A Carnival cruise ship, the Carnival Paradise, came to the aid of 27 Cuban nationals on Sunday, rescuing them from a small wooden boat that was in poor condition and adrift around 20 miles west of Cuba. The cruise crew spotted the Cubans signaling for help and diverted their route from Tampa, Florida, to Roatan, Honduras, to bring them on board around 2:30 p.m.
The rescued Cubans received medical examinations and food on the ship. The cruise staff notified the US Coast Guard Sector Key West about the incident. Despite the detour, the Carnival Paradise arrived at its port in Mahogany Bay, Roatan, on time. The cruise is scheduled to stop in Cozumel, Mexico, on Tuesday before returning to Tampa on Thursday.
It’s unclear whether the Cuban nationals remained on board until the cruise reached Florida or disembarked at a port. This incident follows another recent unusual event involving a cruise ship, where a pregnant passenger on the Disney Fantasy cruise ship was airlifted by a US Coast Guard helicopter due to medical complications.
