NCL's ship Norwegian Epic, responded to a distress call from the Hellenic Coast Guard on October 22nd and rescued 63 people from an overcrowded sailboat roughly 65 NM (120 km/75 mi) southwest of Zakynthos Island. The vessel was en route from Civitavecchia-Rome to Santorini when it altered course to assist.
After locating the small sailboat, the Epic’s crew brought the rescued individuals aboard, where they received medical evaluations, nourishment, water, and other essentials. The ship then proceeded to Kalamata, where the individuals were handed over to authorities the following morning. Greek officials confirmed that the operation was completed successfully.
It remains unclear whether the sailboat issued a distress signal or was spotted by regional air or sea patrols. Passengers aboard the Epic noted that the cruise halted upon sighting the vessel, and that one of the ship’s tenders was likely used to transfer the people aboard.
The rescued were believed to be migrants attempting a perilous Mediterranean crossing, and once aboard, they were housed in a restricted section away from passenger areas until local authorities assumed responsibility.
The rescue forced an unscheduled diversion: the port call at Santorini scheduled for October 23rd was cancelled, at the direction of Greek authorities, to facilitate the transfer in Kalamata.
After the handover, Norwegian Epic resumed its original itinerary. Its next scheduled call was Piraeus (Athens) on October 24th, followed by stops in Mykonos, Valletta, Syracuse, Salerno, Livorno, and Cannes before concluding its voyage in Rome on November 1st. The cruise company expressed gratitude to its passengers for their understanding during the necessary deviation.
For more Norwegian Epic incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.