The crew of a brand new Disney cruise ship diverted course Sunday to rescue four people from a sinking catamaran off the coast of Bermuda.
The people on the 50-foot catamaran, called the Serenity, called for help after the vessel started taking on water following the failure of a gasket on the escape hatch. The craft was about 230 miles off the coast of Bermuda at the time.
The U.S. Coast Guard broadcast an alert to nearby ships, prompting the Disney Treasure — which was about 80 miles away and the closest other ship — to change course and race to the imperiled sailors.
The Treasure, which was journeying from the Netherlands to Florida ahead of its maiden voyage, reached the catamaran around 1 p.m., about 90 minutes after diverting off course.
Video taken from a Coast Guard helicopter shows the rescue boat approaching the Serenity as the Treasure looms large in the background.
The cruise liner launched a smaller boat to bring the four people on the catamaran aboard. No injuries were reported.
“We are pleased that the Disney Treasure was able to provide aid to the boat passengers in peril. Our crew members worked together on the rescue, skillfully demonstrating their training and commitment to safety,” Disney Treasure Captain Marco Nogara told ABC News in a statement.
The Treasure, the newest in Disney’s fleet, is scheduled to launch a seven-day Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral just ahead of Christmas.
