Disney Cruise line is redeeming itself and making travel headlines for a good deed this week. Last week, it was reported that a crew member aboard the 'Disney Wonder' stole a female guest's iPhone. Now, Disney is making headlines for rescuing four men off the coast of Florida.
Families were enjoying a weeklong trip on board the 'Disney Fantasy,' sailing from Port Canaveral, Florida, to Grand Cayman Sunday afternoon, when four men were spotted aboard a small raft near Key West, Rebecca Peddie of Disney Cruise Line said.
The crew brought the men aboard the 130,000-ton ship and they were given food, water, and medical attention. They are believed to be Cuban refugees.
"We are proud of our Disney Fantasy crew members, who skillfully demonstrated their training and commitment to maritime protocols around saving lives at sea," said Peddie.
The ship is spending two days in Mexico and then is scheduled to call at Disney's Castaway Cay in the Bahamas before returning to Port Canaveral. The rescued men remain onboard as the cruise line makes arrangements with U.S. Coast Guard authorities to arrange their disembarkation.
This Memorial Day weekend rescue follows a claim that a Princess Cruise Line ship failed to stop for three Panamanian fisherman whose boat was broken, despite passengers alerting the ship's crew. The men had been drifting at sea for 16 days when the ship passed by on March 10.
Adrian Vasquez, 18, was the only survivor on the fishing boat after drifting 28 days at sea. He was rescued by the Ecuadorian navy. Earlier this month, he followed a lawsuit against Princess, arguing that the boat should have stopped and rescued the men.
Princess Cruises said that they were investigating the incident and deeply regret the loss of life. They claim that their ships have performed more than 30 rescues in the past.
Under the law, certain ships are required to come to the aid of a vessel in distress.
In April, Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas rescued 23 Cuban refugees of the coast of Cozumel, Mexico.
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