Multiple passengers were airlifted from the UK-based Sun Princess cruise ship stranded off Florida’s coast as Hurricane Milton approached.
Coast Guard Air Station Miami has hoisted a person who had a medical emergency and "needed a higher level of care." Princess Cruises confirmed that 2 additional passengers were medevaced by rescue boat the same day due to health issues “that had no connection to the weather.”
The vessel, which departed Southampton on September 23rd, 2024, had been scheduled to dock in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday, October 9th. However, with Port Everglades closed due to the Category 5 storm, the ship remained 5 miles offshore, necessitating the evacuation by helicopter. It is unclear where the passengers were taken (current position of the ship here).
Hurricane Milton, predicted to weaken slightly but still maintain significant intensity, was expected to make landfall on Florida's west coast late Wednesday.
With sustained winds of 160 mph (71 m/s), the storm is poised to deliver catastrophic impacts, especially to the Tampa Bay area, which has not experienced a direct hit from a major hurricane in over a century.
Despite evacuation orders affecting millions, some residents have opted to stay, ignoring warnings of severe risk.
Forecasters expect Milton to retain its hurricane strength as it crosses central Florida toward the Atlantic, though its exact path remains uncertain.
For more Sun Princess incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.