A brand-new Disney cruise ship rushed to the aid of a catamaran taking on water in the Atlantic on Sunday and plucked four people to safety, authorities said.
The 50-foot Serenity was 265 miles from Bermuda when it called for help at 8:30 a.m., prompting the Coast Guard out of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, to alert nearby vessels, according to an agency statement.
The Disney Treasure responded, saying it was 80 miles from Serenity, before heading to the catamaran and arriving between 1 p.m. and 1:45 p.m., according to the Coast Guard.
Once Treasure got close enough, it launched a lifeboat and got all four Serenity passengers off the disabled craft, officials said.
“We are pleased that the Disney Treasure was able to provide aid to the boat passengers in peril,” said Treasure captain Marco Nogara in a statement released Monday by Disney.
“Our crew members worked together on the rescue, skillfully demonstrating their training and commitment to safety,” Nogara said.
A bilge pump on Serenity was working and helped stem the flow of water but that was only a temporary solution.
“The vessel was able to control parts of the flooding they were experiencing, but they couldn’t keep up with it,” Petty Officer 3rd Class Christine Bills told NBC News.
