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A cruise ship from the Royal Caribbean company became the focus of a new migration episode in waters near Cuba after rescuing six people who were drifting in a small boat in the western Caribbean.
The incident took place on Sunday, February 15, 2026, when the Radiance of the Seas was forced to stop its journey off the Cuban coast after detecting a vessel in distress, as reported by the specialized outlet Royal Caribbean Blog.
According to posts shared by passengers on social media, the cruise remained completely stationary while the rescue was coordinated.
“We are completely stranded waiting for the rescue of six people,” wrote user Mike Hoglander in a Facebook group for travelers of the Crown and Anchor Society program.
According to another passenger on Reddit, the captain spotted the boat and was forced to stop due to international laws requiring any vessel to assist people in danger at sea.
Although they initially expected the arrival of the Coast Guard, the passengers stated that they were unable to respond, so the crew ended up conducting the rescue directly.
"The boat stopped around 4:45 p.m. (...) but I don't think the Coast Guard could come, so around 5:45-6 they decided to go look for them," the user explained.
Royal Caribbean Blog reported that the boat had already started taking on water, and confirmed that all six individuals were successfully rescued and brought aboard the cruise ship.
The authorities of the Cayman Islands confirm that they were Cubans
The case did not remain solely on social media. This Monday, the outlet Cayman News Service (CNS) confirmed that the six rescued individuals were adult Cuban men who were disembarked in the Cayman Islands, where they are now under the custody of Cayman Islands Customs and Border Control (CBC).
According to CNS, Cubans are being processed in accordance with the migration laws of the territory and international obligations.
The news comes amid a context of rising migratory tension in the region. The Caymanian outlet itself warned that authorities are preparing for a possible surge of irregular migrants from Cuba, while repatriations continue.
CNS also reported that nine Cubans were repatriated to Havana on Friday, February 13, raising the total number of migrants returned since the beginning of 2026 to 13, while another 23 remain in custody.
Meanwhile, the Radiance of the Seas continued its regular itinerary and arrived in Grand Cayman on Monday, February 16, as scheduled, on a six-night cruise that had departed on February 14 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
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