WATCH: Cruise ship rescues 18 refugees found at sea
Amy DeLaura
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KEY WEST, Florida — A group of refugees was picked up in the ocean by the Scarlet Lady cruise ship on New Year’s Eve. The Virgin ship was sailing from Costa Maya, Mexico, to Bimini in the Bahamas when the ship intercepted the small boat out at sea. Eighteen people, including women and children, were rescued by a crew between Key West and Cuba.
At around 5:30 p.m., one crew member dived into the water and swam to the boat with a rope. The people could be seen scooping buckets of water out of their makeshift boat. As the cruise ship approached, they began waving their arms and yelling for help. The immigrants from Cuba were brought on the ship through Deck 4. The ship’s captain made an announcement saying, per maritime law, they were taken on board as refugees, and the ship would change course, heading to Key West to allow the Coast Guard to pick up the refugees. Remains of the boat were left to float away. The small boat looks to be made from scrap wood and a car engine.
EL PASO AIRPORT TURNED INTO SHELTER FOR IMMIGRANTS
The Coast Guard was called and arrived at 9 p.m. to pick up the refugees. The Washington Examiner watched as the Coast Guard loaded their belongings in plastic bags and Virgin-branded paper bags onto the Coast Guard’s boat. As the refugees were escorted off the Scarlet Lady and onto the boat, they were wearing white robes from the spa and the ship’s crew’s life jackets. Underneath, it could be seen that some people were also given red Virgin crew uniforms. It took about 15 minutes to load everyone onto the Coast Guard boat. Passengers from the cruise line cheered as the Coast Guard ship took off.
INSIDE THE EL PASO CITY BLOCK WHERE BIDEN’S BORDER CRISIS FLOWS INTO THE STREETS
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The Washington Examiner was informed this has happened on the Scarlet Lady four times in the past five months, the latest reported back on Oct. 14. Most of the time, due to international law, refugees will be returned to their country of origin.