A CCL-Carnival Cruise Line ship honored one of the oldest traditions of the sea diverting from her course to come to the aid of a sailboat in distress in the Gulf of Mexico.
According to Carnival Cruise Line and travelers who were onboard the ship, at ~1 am (Texas time) on Thursday morning, November 4, Carnival Breeze had received a mayday call. The large liner was returning to homeport Galveston Texas completing a 5-night voyage to Mexico.
The USCG/Coast Guard dispatched a helicopter to search for the sailboat, which according to reports was ~70 mi / 113 km off Galveston. The sailboat's captain reported that he had injured his back and required assistance. Two passengers and two dogs were also onboard the sailboat.
After locating the sailboat, the crew aboard Carnival Breeze lowered a lifeboat and maneuvered it alongside the sailboat while passengers watched from the deck. The 3 people along with their dogs were transferred to the liner, where the doctor provided medical assistance to the injured.
All of them were taken to Port Galveston where they disembarked with the passengers. The sailboat remained adrift in the Gulf of Mexico.
It is the second time in a year that a Carnival ship had undertaken a rescue operation. In November 2020, Carnival Ecstasy responded to a mayday in the Bahamas. A crew member aboard a motor yacht was injured and the liner was determined to be in the best position to respond. The injured person was taken aboard and then evacuated by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter.
For other Carnival Breeze accidents and incidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.