Dozens of cruise ship passengers found themselves adrift in the sea when the catamaran they were on during a day excursion suddenly sank.
The small vessel was transporting passengers from the Mein Schiff 1 cruise ship for a trip to the Dominican Republic. The 12-meter boat, named Boca de Yuma, quickly went under, forcing the 55 individuals aboard to jump into the water.
The group’s outing turned into a frightening ordeal as vacationers were spotted floating in the sunny waters off the bay of Samana before being rescued by the Dominican Navy. The nationalities of the passengers involved in the incident remain unidentified.
Video footage captured seamen throwing life rings to the distressed travelers before pulling them to safety. A section of the catamaran was visible before it disappeared beneath the waves. Local residents from El Crucero also assisted in the rescue efforts.
Although everyone was safely rescued, one passenger informed RTL that the cruise staff did not adequately attend to the frightened passengers. They claimed that their ship did not offer any assistance or knowledge of the incident.
The port authority stated that the Dominican Republic Navy is collaborating with local authorities to determine accountability and implement measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
TUI Cruises, the operator of the cruise departing from La Romana, confirmed that they are working with the excursion provider and police to investigate the cause of the sinking.
A company spokesperson mentioned that the passengers were on an externally operated boat that sank during the excursion. They assured that they are liaising closely with the provider and local authorities to clarify the situation.
All passengers safely returned to the German cruiser Mein Schiff 1 following the Sunday mishap. The cruise ship, capable of accommodating 4,000 guests, resumed its voyage as planned, with Jamaica as its next port of call.
