Earlier this week, a cruise ship named Brilliance of the Seas came to the rescue of 11 Cuban rafters who were drifting perilously in the waters of the Yucatan Channel. Operated by Royal Caribbean and chartered by VACAYA, a vacation company catering to the LGBTIQ+ community, the cruise ship's crew spotted the distressed small vessel in the Gulf of Mexico near the Yucatan Peninsula and quickly moved to assist.
The ship's crew used a pilot boat to reach the stranded individuals, bringing them aboard in small groups. Once on the cruise ship, the Cuban migrants, who showed signs of exhaustion and malnutrition, received medical attention, food, water, and dry clothes generously donated by passengers. The rafters had been adrift for at least a day or two, and their fragile boat was damaged and taking on water, shared VACAYA's CEO Randle Roper-Olson with The Advocate.
Roper-Olson recounted, "The captain of Brilliance of the Seas noticed a vessel in the distance that appeared to be in distress. As the charterer, I was informed immediately that we would be turning around to investigate." He added, "A pilot boat was dispatched with crew members to the stranded vessel, and they could see at least 10 people aboard from a distance. They were clearly in danger, bailing water from their boat which was both adrift and leaking."
The executive expressed his thoughts, stating, "I can't imagine the fear they must have felt. Being out in the open sea with no other ships around and then seeing us must have been a tremendous relief. As soon as they spotted the ship, they waved a white flag for help." On his Facebook page, where he shared several videos of the rescue, Roper-Olson admitted, "In my 22 years in the industry, I've never had such an emotional day. It's heartbreaking that some people have to endure such trauma in hopes of finding a better life." He also revealed that VACAYA's philanthropic program, ReachOUT, raised money—though he didn't specify the amount—which was given to the Cuban migrants.
Julie Brown, an MTV icon known as an actress, dancer, and TV host who performs on the cruise, documented the rescue operation in real-time in a video shared on social media. "We're currently in the midst of a live rescue operation. We just left the coast of Cuba and are heading to Mexico, but the ship's captain believed he saw a vessel in distress. So we made a complete turn (which probably took us about 20 minutes) and indeed, it was a boat in distress," she recounted. Brown noted that the rescue boat made four trips, picking up three passengers each time, adding that all individuals received medical examinations and were "being well taken care of."
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) confirmed to The Advocate that the rescued individuals were Cuban migrants and that they would not be brought to the United States. "The Coast Guard was notified of the rescue of the 11 Cuban migrants reported near the Yucatan Peninsula by the cruise ship Brilliance of the Seas," stated Petty Officer Third Class Anthony Randisi in an email. According to the news portal, authorities, in collaboration with the ship's crew, decided that the migrants would disembark in Cozumel, Mexico, the nearest port of call before the cruise ship returned to the U.S.
The Brilliance of the Seas had departed from New Orleans on Saturday, February 22, embarking on a seven-night journey through the Caribbean Sea. The USCG routinely conducts migrant interdiction operations in the Gulf of Mexico waters to detect and prevent the entry of illegal migrants and illicit narcotics into the United States.
Details on the Cuban Rafters Rescue
Who were the Cuban migrants rescued by the cruise ship?
The migrants were a group of 11 Cuban rafters found adrift in the Yucatan Channel, showing signs of exhaustion and malnutrition.
How did the cruise ship's crew manage the rescue operation?
The crew used a pilot boat to rescue the migrants in small groups, providing them with medical care, food, water, and dry clothing once they were safely aboard.
What happened to the Cuban migrants after their rescue?
The rescued migrants were taken to Cozumel, Mexico, the nearest port of call, before the cruise ship returned to the United States.