A group of 11 Cuban rafters who were adrift and about to capsize in the waters of the Yucatán Channel were rescued by the cruise ship Brilliance of the Seas earlier this week.
On Wednesday, the crew of the cruise ship, operated by Royal Caribbean and chartered by VACAYA, a vacation company for the LGBTIQ+ community, spotted a small vessel in distress in the Gulf of Mexico, near the Yucatán Peninsula, and rushed to its aid.
In a pilot boat, crew members of the ship rescued Cuban immigrants in small groups and brought them on board, where they received medical attention, food, water, and dry clothing donated by the passengers.
The rafters, exhausted and showing signs of malnutrition, had been stranded at sea for at least one or two days, and at the moment of rescue, their fragile boat was damaged and taking on water, declared The Advocate the executive director of VACAYA, Randle Roper-Olson, who witnessed the event.
“The captain of the Brilliance of the Seas spotted a ship in the distance that appeared to be in trouble. The captain immediately called me as the charterer of the ship to inform me that they were going to turn around and investigate,” Roper-Olson recounted. “They sent a pilot boat with crew members to the stranded vessel and, from a distance, they could see at least 10 people on board. It was clear that they were in danger. The refugees were literally bailing water from the ship; it was disabled, adrift, and taking on water.”
I can't imagine the fear they must have felt. Being in the middle of the bay with no other boats around and seeing us must have been a great relief. As soon as they saw the boat, they started waving a white distress flag,” the executive recounted.
On his Facebook profile, where he shared several rescue videos, Roper-Olson confessed: “In my 22 years in the industry, I have never had such an emotional day. It is sad that some people have to go through such trauma in the hope of finding a better life.”
He also revealed that through VACAYA's philanthropic program ReachOUT, money was raised—although he did not specify the amount—and given to Cuban immigrants.
The actress, dancer, and television host Julie Brown, an MTV icon, who performs on the cruise, documented the rescue operation in real-time in a video shared on social media.
"We are currently in the middle of a live rescue operation. We just arrived from the coast of Cuba and are on our way to Mexico, but the ship's captain thought he saw a vessel in distress. So we made a complete turnaround (it probably took us about 20 minutes to turn around) and it was indeed a boat in danger," Brown reported during his live update.
"The rescue boat has gone out four times and collected three passengers each time, so I suppose that at this moment there are between nine and twelve people," he commented, adding that all of them underwent medical examinations and "were being well taken care of."
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) confirmed to The Advocate that the rescued individuals were Cuban migrants and would not be taken to the U.S.
“The Coast Guard was notified of the rescue of the 11 Cuban immigrants reported near the Yucatán Peninsula by the cruise ship Brilliance of the Seas,” stated Third Class Petty Officer Anthony Randisi in an email.
According to the news portal, the authorities, in coordination with the ship's crew, decided that the migrants would disembark in Cozumel, Mexico, the nearest port of call before the cruise returned to the United States.
The Brilliance of the Seas had departed from New Orleans last Saturday, February 22, on a seven-night journey through the Caribbean Sea.
The USCG systematically conducts immigration control operations in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, with the intention of detecting illegal immigrants and illicit narcotics and preventing their entry into the U.S.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Rescue of Cuban Rafters and Illegal Migration
How was the rescue of the Cuban rafters by the cruise ship Brilliance of the Seas?
The cruise ship Brilliance of the Seas rescued 11 Cuban rafters who were adrift in the Yucatán Channel. The cruise crew spotted a vessel in distress and sent a pilot boat to rescue them. The migrants received medical attention, food, water, and dry clothing on board.
What happens to the Cuban rafters rescued at sea?
Cuban rafters rescued at sea are usually repatriated to Cuba or transferred to another country, depending on the circumstances of the rescue. In the case of the cruise ship Brilliance of the Seas, the migrants were disembarked in Cozumel, Mexico, the closest port.
Why do Cubans risk their lives at sea to emigrate?
Cubans are driven to emigrate due to the economic crisis and lack of opportunities in Cuba. They seek a better future in other countries, despite the risks involved in crossing the sea in makeshift boats.
What is the role of the U.S. Coast Guard in illegal maritime migration?
The U.S. Coast Guard conducts interception operations to address the illegal maritime migration of Cubans. These actions include the transfer of migrants to the authorities of other countries or their repatriation to Cuba. The USCG collaborates with other security agencies to deter these dangerous journeys.
Filed under: