A Mediterranean
leisure cruise took a dramatic turn this week when a Norwegian
Cruise Line ship came to the aid of dozens of people stranded at sea.
According to the cruise
line, the Norwegian Epic participated in a search-and-rescue operation being
coordinated by Greek
authorities on October 22, and successfully rescued 63 individuals in the
Ionian Sea.
“The individuals
were brought on board and tended to by the ship’s crew, who provided a medical
evaluation, food and other items for their comfort,” Norwegian said in a
statement to USA
Today. “Following a mandatory directive from the Rescue Coordination
Centre, the ship proceeded to Kalamata, Greece where the rescued individuals
were turned over to the Greek authorities.”
The company didn’t
specify the identities or nationalities of those rescued, and Greek officials
have not yet released additional details.
The Norwegian Epic
had departed from Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy, on October 21 for a
Mediterranean sailing that included stops in Greece, Malta, Italy and France,
according to CruiseMapper.
The rescue took place just a day into the voyage.
Once the
individuals were safely transferred to local authorities in Kalamata, the ship
resumed its scheduled itinerary. Norwegian noted that guests on board were
understanding about the delay, given the circumstances.
“We appreciate our
guests' patience and understanding during this unexpected interruption to their
journey,” the cruise line added.
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