A Carnival cruise ship rescued a man who had reportedly been stranded at sea for over a week on his sailboat. The rescue operation occurred on August 26 while the Carnival Conquest was en route to Grenada.
A passenger reported that the ship’s captain made an announcement at around 1:00 p.m. local time that the ship was involved in a search and that the whole operation took roughly two hours.
Ship tracking data shows that the Carnival Conquest turned and slowed significantly at around 2:50 p.m.
No information about the rescued man’s identity has been released.
The U.S. Coast Guard was reportedly aware of the rescue but deferred to Trinidad and Tobago’s jurisdiction.
A Carnival spokesperson told PEOPLE, “the Conquest diverted to the vessel’s location and safely brought the sole occupant onboard,” after being contacted by rescue authorities. The statement continued, “The individual remains in the care of the ship.”
The man was kept separate from passengers on the cruise ship after being rescued, according to local news.
Several passengers captured and shared videos of the rescue operation.
Under international maritime law, vessels, including cruise ships, are generally required to assist people in distress at sea when they can safely do so. Earlier this month, a resecue operation in Alaska made national news after Mark Zuckerberg’s yacht sailed past a stranded boat, which was later assisted by the small cruise ship Wilderness Legacy.
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