Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Girl has rescued 17 refugees from a small, overcrowded boat close to Cuba. The people have been taken aboard the luxurious cruise ship and transferred to the suitable authorities as quickly as attainable.
Rescue at Sea
At roughly 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, crew members aboard Scarlet Girl noticed the small vessel in obvious misery in tough waters. The cruise ship, which was en route between Cozumel, Mexico and Bimini, The Bahamas, turned to supply support.
Whereas company onboard who communicate Spanish have reported that the refugees have been insisting they didn’t need to be rescued, the small craft was overcrowded and never thought of seaworthy. Maritime legislation, due to this fact, required the cruise ship to render applicable support.
Ultimately, the 17 refugees have been introduced onboard the cruise ship, the place they have been supplied with meals, water, and any quick medical care obligatory. Images and video footage from company onboard present the small craft deserted after the rescue, with some meager bundles and containers left behind.
The USA Coast Guard (USCG) was contacted and dispatched a vessel to satisfy up with the cruise ship, at which era the refugees have been transferred to the authorities, and Scarlet Girl was launched to proceed on her approach.
The Virgin Voyages’ ship is at present on a 5-night roundtrip Riviera Maya crusing from Miami, which departed on Sunday, October 9. The ship referred to as on Cozumel, Mexico on Tuesday, October 11, and intercepted the refugee vessel on the finish of a day at sea on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the ship is visiting Bimini in The Bahamas, a resort vacation spot 53 miles east of Miami, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The ship will return to Miami on Friday, October 14.
There have been no modifications reported to Scarlet Girl‘s present itinerary, because the rescue was a comparatively fast occasion and didn’t delay the ship.
Scarlet Girl is the primary ship within the new adults-only Virgin Voyages line, having solely set sail only one yr in the past, in October 2021. The ship can welcome can as many as 2,770 company onboard, and provides the final word in luxurious service for memorable holidays.
Earlier Refugee Rescues
This week’s rescue just isn’t Scarlet Girl‘s first encounter with a refugee craft. In mid-September, the ship rescued 15 refugees from a makeshift raft. That incident was in the identical normal space as this week’s rescue, on the similar time of night, and on an equivalent crusing itinerary.
In October 2021, Scarlet Girl rescued eight migrants southwest of Key West, once more in the identical normal space. These refugees claimed to have been adrift for six days earlier than coming aboard the cruise ship.
Refugee rescues have been on the rise in current months, with totally different ships from numerous cruise traces rendering support each time obligatory.
What Occurs to Refugees?
Any ship, together with pleasure craft, cargo vessels, and cruise ships, is required to help a vessel in misery. Whereas the occupants of ramshackle craft could have sturdy intentions to proceed with their authentic plans, if the craft just isn’t seaworthy or present water circumstances pose an imminent hazard to the occupants, the better-equipped vessel should take the refugees aboard.
At that time, the correct authorities are notified based mostly on the situation of the incident, the nationalities of these concerned, the intent of the refugees, and different components.
Typically, refugees should legally be returned to their level of origin.
This may be heartbreaking when it’s well-known that many refugees try to hunt out a greater life, however there are authorized channels by which to take action.
Cruise ships, within the meantime, will proceed to supply obligatory support to safeguard all lives at sea.
