Royal Caribbean cruise ship stops to rescue eight Cuban refugees adrift in the Caribbean as shocked passengers look on

  • The refugees were floating on a row boat attached to barrels
  • They were spotted just before the sun rose on Sunday morning  
  • They were taken aboard the Independence of the Seas ship until the US Coast Guard arrived to pick them up
  • One passenger said at first people thought the refugees were pirates 

By Anneta Konstantinides For Dailymail.com

Published: 20:35 EST, 22 November 2015 | Updated: 20:58 EST, 22 November 2015

Eight refugees fleeing from Cuba were rescued by a Royal Caribbean cruise ship after they were spotted out at sea just before the sun came up on Sunday morning. 

The refugees were floating on a row boat that appeared to be attached to barrels, with backpacks and paddles inside. 

They were taken aboard the cruise ship aptly-titled Independence of the Seas until the US Coast Guard arrived and picked them up.

Eight refugees fleeing from Cuba (pictured) were rescued by Royal Caribbean cruise ship Independence of the Seas after they were spotted just before the sun came up on Sunday morning

Eight refugees fleeing from Cuba (pictured) were rescued by Royal Caribbean cruise ship Independence of the Seas after they were spotted just before the sun came up on Sunday morning

The refugees were floating on a row boat that appeared to be attached to barrels, with backpacks and paddles inside

The refugees were floating on a row boat that appeared to be attached to barrels, with backpacks and paddles inside

Passenger Mark Sims said that at first others believed the refugees were pirates trying to get on the ship.

There were more than 4,000 passengers and 1,500 crew members on board at the time. 

This isn't the first time a Royal Caribbean ship picked up Cuban refugees. 

Just last month Freedom the Seas picked up seven Cubans who had been out in the ocean with only crackers and water for ten days. 

The US Coast Guard picked up the passengers and provided aid, according to Yahoo!. 

And in 2012 another Royal Caribbean ship picked up 23 refugees as it sailed from Jamaica to Mexico.  

They were taken aboard the cruise ship until the US Coast Guard arrived and picked them up

They were taken aboard the cruise ship until the US Coast Guard arrived and picked them up

There were more than 4,000 passengers and 1,500 crew members on board Independence of the Seas (pictured in a file photo) at the time

There were more than 4,000 passengers and 1,500 crew members on board Independence of the Seas (pictured in a file photo) at the time

 

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