- - Cruise ship rescues group 'in distress' aboard raft at sea off the coast of Mexico

Caroline RadnofskyOctober 1, 2025 at 8:41 PM

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A Royal Caribbean cruise ship rescued a group of people floating on a raft "falling apart" in international waters between Mexico and Cuba over the weekend, the company and a witness said.

The dramatic rescue unfolded Sunday night as the Enchantment of the Seas was heading west in the Yucatan Channel. It wasn't immediately clear where the raft travelers were from or where they had been seeking to go.

Royal Caribbean The Enchantment of the Seas in Cadiz, Spain, on Sept. 28, 2021. (Angel Garcia / Bloomberg via Getty Images file)

"Our crew identified individuals in distress in international waters, provided medical care to those who were rescued, and worked closely with the Mexican Coast Guard," the Royal Caribbean Group said in a statement.

Jeffrey Walker and his family, who were aboard the cruise ship, just happened to be strolling on the promenade when he said he saw a "little white flashing light" in the distance. He said the ship’s five-day journey was slightly pushed off course due to Hurricane Imelda.

"The ship started to turn and the captain announced that we were going to investigate if they needed help," Walker, 40, told NBC News. "As we approached, it was clear their raft was falling apart."

Walker said the raft, which he estimates was holding 10 people, was "losing pieces" as the ship launched "two drones" toward the distressed craft "to make sure it was safe."

The ship launched two lifeboats and rescued everyone on the compromised craft, Walker said. He added that shortly afterward, the captain announced they had rescued the passengers from the raft and that they were in good health.

"It was a very surreal, very exciting, very scary thing all at once," Walker, a Florida resident, added. "Their raft didn’t have much time left. Our ship wasn’t even supposed to be there."

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Source: “AOL General News”