A Norwegian Cruise ship went off-course to rescue more than 60 migrants from a sailboat along the coast of Greece last week, according to officials and passengers.
The cruise line’s Norwegian Epic vessel went out of its way to respond to a “mandatory” search and rescue operation in coordination with Greek authorities Oct. 22 and brought “63 individuals to safety,” the company told USA Today.
Once on board, the crew provided “a medical evaluation, food and other items for their comfort,” according to Norwegian.
“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 cruise line said in a statement.
The cruise company did not share information about who was rescued, but fellow passengers posted on social media that they were migrants who had packed onto a 30-foot sailboat.
The 11-day cruise left Civitavechia, Italy, on Oct. 21, with stops around the Mediterranean in Greece, Malta, Italy and France, according to CruiseMapper.
Once the migrants were handed over to Greek authorities, the ship, which can host up to 4,000 guests, resumed its scheduled itinerary.
“We appreciate our guests’ patience and understanding during this unexpected interruption to their journey,” Norwegian said.
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