Emergency Evacuation: Cruise Passengers Rescued from Ship Stranded by Hurricane Milton Off Florida Coast
Princess Cruises’ new ship ‘Sun Princess’ was set to arrive in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Wednesday, October 9, but had to change its course due to a storm.
Numerous passengers aboard the Sun Princess were evacuated because of medical emergencies as the ship remains stranded at sea amidst Hurricane Milton.
The Sun Princess was supposed to dock at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday, but the port had begun preparations to close early on Tuesday morning due to Hurricane Milton, a category 4 storm predicted to reach Florida’s Gulf Coast as early as Wednesday night.
The vessel was en route to Port Everglades on Tuesday, October 8, when the initial incident took place.
In a statement provided to PEOPLE, a representative of the U.S. Coast Guard stated, “Coast Guard Air Station Miami hoisted a person who had a medical emergency and needed a higher level of care.”
Footage recorded by passengers on the ship shows a rescue basket being lowered from a helicopter, with onlookers lined up at the railing.
Princess Cruises also confirmed that two more passengers were evacuated by rescue boat on the same day due to health concerns “that had no connection to the weather.”
Ann Youmans / SWNS
The cruise line confirmed to PEOPLE that Sun Princess is currently stranded at sea.
“Due to Hurricane Milton’s approach to Florida, the U.S. Coast Guard has restricted ship access to all ports in South Florida, including Fort Lauderdale, where Sun Princess was scheduled to disembark guests today, Oct. 9,” a representative from Princess Cruises stated.
Ann Youmans / SWNS
They are optimistic about docking on Friday, “pending clearance,” the representative mentioned.
The ship’s crew will “continue to monitor the storm’s path closely and ensure that we stay clear of any dangerous weather, prioritizing guests’ safety and comfort,” the statement concludes.
Ann Youmans / SWNS
According to CruiseMapper, the vessel seems to be positioned just north of Cuba in the Caribbean Sea as of Wednesday afternoon.
Ann Youmans / SWNS
Port Everglades is currently open solely for fuel truck deliveries, as confirmed by a port spokesperson.
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They also mentioned, “After Hurricane Milton passes, the port and its customers will resume operations as soon as it is safe, pending clearance from the U.S. Coast Guard.”
Sun Princess was scheduled to begin its first North American sailing on Friday, October 11. It originally made its debut during its 10-day maiden voyage across the Mediterranean in February 2024.
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