Allure Rescue

[DJZS]

On the Allure of the Seas right now. Ship currently turning around right now to attempt an emergency rescue of a raft seen on our starboard side.

 

Update 1:33 pm :

 

-All crew involved in code OSCAR told to report to emergency stations.

-Raft believed to have 3 or 4 people.

Edited August 16, 2014 by DJZS
Updates

[pcur]

:eek::eek::eek:

 

Keep us posted.

[Clarea]

You're not far from Cuba now, right?

[bcsfd279]

Capt. Johnny at the helm?

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Forums mobile app

[DJZS]

Capt. Johnny at the helm?

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Forums mobile app

 

Captain Tore Grimstad this week.

[truffles2]

You're not far from Cuba now, right?

 

Yes, they are very close to the coast of Cuba right now. Tried to copy and paste the position but it didn't work.

[OCruisers]

Keep us updated! :eek:

LuLu

[Sinduf]

OMG hope everything will be ok

[floridaglen]

Keep us updated! :eek:

LuLu

Ditto!

[NorbertsNiece]

Grabbed this

 

 

ETA not sure how recent this is though.....

Edited August 16, 2014 by NorbertsNiece

[Clarea]

Time for Allure to make a port call in Havana?

[DJZS]

UPDATE 2:02

 

One rescued and taken on for emergency medical care

Life vests given out

 

Update: 2:06

 

Attempt being made to rescue the rest.

[pcur]

Time for Allure to make a port call in Havana?

 

I only wish. I would be on ANY ship in a heartbeat if it went to Havana.

 

I hope whomever is on that raft planned to be picked up, but if not, bless the Allure and it's crew for getting them!

 

*****************************************************************************

 

Oh, crap! Didn't see the post above mine. I hope the rest of it goes well!

Edited August 16, 2014 by pcur

[ChipLondon]

Capt. Johnny boards this weekend in FL :D

 

 

Capt. Johnny at the helm?

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Forums mobile app

[Lionesss]

WOW

 

Did you know what was going on with the code OSCAR?

 

I bet word traveled fast.

 

Any further updates??

 

Sea Ya

[DJZS]

Update 2:22

 

5 refugees rescued, 1 is being treated for dehydration.

US Coast Guard to arrive in 15-20 min.

[Iamthesea]

What will happen to them?

[Clarea]

What will happen to them?

Back to Cuba.

[Iamthesea]

I mean...does the Coast Guard pick them up off the ship and then whisk them back over to Cuba? Or do they keep them, or take them someplace else, first? What about the one that is sick? :(

Edited August 16, 2014 by Iamthesea

[jencol28]

Grabbed this

 

 

ETA not sure how recent this is though.....

 

NorbertsNiece - what app/site can you view this sort of info on?

 

Hope they are all okay!

[Clarea]

I mean...does the Coast Guard pick them up off the ship and then whisk them back over to Cuba? Or do they keep them, or take them someplace else, first? What about the one that is sick? :(

Aquahound would probably know the exact details, but I thought the Coast Guard gives the refugees to a third-party country who then sends them back to Cuba.

[truffles2]

Google Marine traffic and several sites will come up. One showed Allure about 50m NW of Havana but I was unable to copy/paste.

[AF-1]

We at least they are safe. Thanks to Royal Caribbean and its crew.

[trev71]

That would be super scary. I would be worried about Sharks

[Merion_Mom]

Aquahound would probably know the exact details, but I thought the Coast Guard gives the refugees to a third-party country who then sends them back to Cuba.

 

This is from an older article, but I don't think that the law has changed.

 

We might think that being rescued by a cruise ship, after floating in the ocean for days or weeks, would be a good thing. Cuban refugees, commonly found on or close to routes traveled by cruise ships, are brought aboard to be cared for. Cheering passengers feel good about it all but for the refugees, a hot meal on a cruise ship is about the last thing in the world they want.

 

It’s called the “Wet Foot, Dry Foot” policy that allows Cubans who reach U.S. soil on their own to take a fast track to permanent residency. But if they get picked up by a helpful cruise ship, they most likely go back to Cuba.

 

“The cruise line usually takes them on the ship, calls the U.S. Coast Guard who sails out to the scene, and the Coast Guard processes the refugees and sails them back to Cuba where they end up in Castro’s jails,” says maritime attorney James Walker on his CruiseLawNews website.

 

Friday night, some floating refugees apparently knew all about the Wet Foot, Dry Foot policy, refusing to be rescued by Royal Caribbean’s giant Oasis of the Seas. On board was our friend @NomadicMatt who tweeted, “Our @royalcaribbean cruise ship just stopped to help rescue Cuban refugees in raft that was stranded at sea.”But it did not take long for refugees to take on food and water then continue on their way, trying to leave before the U.S. Coast Guard arrived.

 

“There is a lot of yelling on the raft and at times they look like they are trying to get away as they know the coast guard was called,” tweeted @NomadicMatt.

 

Odds are, the Coast Guard found the refugees, picked them up and will send them back to Cuba. But in the cover of night, they might have eluded authorities and made it to shore on their own.

 

“Let’s hope the winds and currents and the grace of God bring the refugees ashore tonight and they plant their feet on U.S. soil and can begin free lives here in America,” concluded Walker.