RCI-Royal Caribbean's cruise ship Liberty of the Seas rescued 17 Cuban migrants after they were spotted on a small makeshift boat on Saturday, January 14th.
The liner was heading for CocoCay in the Bahamas when the captain spotted the vessel that had been at sea for weeks.
The 3-night round-trip Bahamas Perfect Day voyage from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades, Florida) was scheduled to dock at CocoCay on Saturday, but the ship stayed at sea after encountering rough ocean conditions.
According to a statement by Royal Caribbean, while en route to The Bahamas, Liberty of the Seas had encountered a small vessel adrift and in need of assistance. The crew had immediately launched a rescue operation, safely bringing 17 people on board. They were given food and medical attention.
The crew is working with the United States Coast Guard.
This is the latest in a series of similar accidents of liners crossing paths with migrants' boats. Last week, Celebrity Beyond ship's Captain Kate McCue shared a video of her crew's successful rescue of 19 migrants (on Jan 7th) off Florida's coast.
For more Liberty of the Seas incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.