Get All Access for $5/mo

Cruise Ship Rescues 22 Stranded People From a Raft After Their Engine Breaks Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas encountered people stranded on a raft while en route to the Bahamas.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

An accidental search and rescue occurred when a cruise ship found and saved 22 people floating through the ocean on a raft and brought them on board to safety.

The Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas cruise ship was headed for the Bahamas last week when passengers spotted a raft floating on rough seas somewhere between Key West, Florida, and Cuba.

Witnesses from the ship said that the captain announced they saw a small vessel that appeared to be signaling for distress.

In a video shared by passenger Elizabeth Guice with WKRG News 5, the cruise ship's small yellow rescue boat can be seen bringing two distressed raft passengers safely to the main ship.

The crew later discovered that the group of migrants had encountered a broken engine and had been floating in the water for an estimated six days before they were rescued.

The passengers were brought to safety aboard the ship before ultimately being picked up by the U.S. Coast Guard after about an hour.

"This captain was pretty transparent, to be honest with you, because he came back on, he told us that he got clearance from the U.S. Coast Guard to go ahead and approach the vessel and start removing the people that were on there," passenger Rich King told Fox10 News. "The whole crew and all 5,000 passengers that were up top watching this unfold were all cheering and were just kind of happy to see people being rescued."

The Coast Guard confirmed that they had received a call for help about a stray raft around 4:30 p.m. on December 15 and noted that this type of incident "isn't uncommon" in the area.

Royal Caribbean did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A similar incident occurred earlier this year when a Virgin Voyages cruise ship rescued eight refugees fleeing Cuba in September on a makeshift raft just outside the country. The passengers were also turned over to the Coast Guard upon their rescue.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Science & Technology

5 Rule-Bending AI Hacks to Make Your Mornings More Productive and Profitable

By 2025, AI will transform productivity by streamlining workflows and cutting costs. Major companies like Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI are leading the way, advancing AI into "Phase 3," where tools act as digital assistants. Discover 5 AI hacks to boost efficiency and redefine your daily routine.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Marketing

5 Critical Mistakes to Avoid When Giving a Presentation

Are you tired of enduring dull presentations? Over the years, I have compiled a list of common presentation mistakes and how to avoid them. Here are my top five tips.

Science & Technology

5 Automation Strategies Every Small Business Should Follow

It's time we make IT automation work for us: streamline processes, boost efficiency and drive growth with the right tools and strategy.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.