The Carnival Sensation was sailing in international waters off the Florida coast Saturday when crew members spotted a crowded 36-foot boat that appeared to be in distress.
The rescued passengers were the first guests to board the cruise ship in months, Carnival said. They were evaluated by the cruise ship’s medical staff and quarantined away from crew members, the cruise line said. They were picked up by the Coast Guard after about 6 hours, the spokeswoman said. The $45 billion global cruise industry serves 20 million passengers in a typical year. But since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, ships have been roaming the seas for months without guests, staffed by skeleton crews. Operations have been suspended until Oct. 31, and some lines have canceled cruises into next year.
Ships are obligated under maritime law to respond to vessels in distress, said Jim Walker, a Miami-based maritime lawyer. In 2012, Princess Cruises was sued after one of its cruise ships, the Star Princess, failed to help a disabled fishing boat that had been adrift for days when it was spotted by crew members and passengers. Two of the people on the fishing boat died.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: ABSCBNNews - 🏆 5. / 83 Read more »
Source: inquirerdotnet - 🏆 3. / 86 Read more »
Source: manilabulletin - 🏆 25. / 51 Read more »
Source: manilabulletin - 🏆 25. / 51 Read more »
Source: ABSCBNNews - 🏆 5. / 83 Read more »
Source: cebudailynews - 🏆 8. / 71 Read more »