Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas rescued 77 migrants in the Ionian Sea during a 7-night Greek Isles cruise.
Greek authorities alerted the ship of an overcrowded sailboat in distress, as reported by ABC News. The migrants were transported to Kalamata, the nearest major port in Greece, causing Odyssey to cancel a scheduled stop in Santorini.
The sailboat was first spotted by a passing Maltese-flagged cargo ship roughly 112 nautical miles (129 miles) southwest of Pylos, and the rescue operation was coordinated by Greece's search and rescue authority.
The authorities didn't reveal any information on missing passengers. Similarly, they did not share the nationalities of those on the sailboat or where they were coming from.
It's not uncommon for migrants to pass through the Ionian Sea en route to the European Union to escape the widespread conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by migrants. Though many try and sail from the Turkish coast to nearby Greek islands, the country's crackdown on illegal immigrants has caused some to try and make it to Italy.
Odyssey of the Seas departed from Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy on August 4 on a weeklong itinerary with scheduled stops in Santorini; Kusadasi, Turkey; Mykonos; and Naples, Italy.
The ship will conclude its 2024 European season in November with a 14-night Transatlantic cruise from Civitavecchia to New York.
The Quantum-Ultra Class ship set sail on its maiden voyage from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on July 31, 2021.
Guests onboard the sailing have taken to social media to share videos of the incident
TikTok user @AileenCD shared a four-minute video captured onboard Odyssey of the Seas. One of the ship's lifeboats is seen approaching a small sailboat and helps guide it to the side of the 169,300 gross registered ton vessel.
A series of photos and videos shared by @samtaylor0717 reveal an overpacked sailboat, with passengers boarding Odyssey's lifeboat. An infant can be seen being handed off to crew members on the lifeboat, while others onboard wait their turn.
It was anything but a calm affair; however, the crew's professionalism and training were on full display as they helped transfer passengers from the sailboat to the lifeboat.
At one point during the nearly ten-minute video, the crew is seen telling the migrants to hold off on boarding, presumably because the lifeboat drifted slightly. Once it was repositioned, they continued to manage the situation carefully, guiding each passenger aboard with safety and efficiency in mind.
Less than 24 hours after being posted, @samtaylor0717's photos and video have collectively received over 960,000 views. Comments range from applauding the cruise line for their efforts to expressing hesitation about welcoming migrants onboard.
"The separation of people fleeing with their children breaks my heart," commented Yvette, "Thankful they were rescued and on a safe vessel."
Haze added, "I'm so thankful they were rescued. I pray all of them were searched completely for safety reasons and given any resources they need in their new home💜".
"I'd be more scared that they're gonna hijack the boat 😂. is that possible?" speculated Bruja. "Idk but that's where my mind went."
Similarly, delevicstans wrote, "Be careful! Don't leave your room."
Cruise ships have aided in migrant rescue missions in the past
In June, a cruise ship rescued 68 migrants from a fishing boat drifting off the Canary Islands, as reported by the Associated Press.
An oil tanker traveling from Spain to Brazil first spotted the boat. Then, Spanish authorities diverted Oceania Cruises' Insignia to rescue the migrants.
"Safety of life at sea is of paramount importance for all seafarers," a spokesperson for Oceania Cruises said, "We can confirm that the Insignia rescued 68 people from a vessel in distress between Cape Verde and Tenerife, brought them onboard for medical assistance and provided food, drinks, clothing and a safe place to rest."
Similarly, Newsweek reported Icon of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, rescued 14 people drifting on a small boat off the coast of Mexico earlier this year.
"On March 3, 2024, Icon of the Seas encountered a small vessel adrift and in need of assistance," a Royal Caribbean spokesperson told Newsweek. "The ship's crew immediately launched a rescue operation, safely bringing 14 people onboard."
They were provided with medical attention once onboard.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
