Passengers aboard the 1,100-foot Carnival Jubilee were in for a surprise when their cruise ship traveling from Texas to Honduras made an unexpected stop off the coast of Mexico to rescue a pair of men drifting at sea in a kayak.
According to one passenger whose interview has appeared with multiple news stations, including KHOU 11 in Houston, he was asleep when the ship suddenly came to a halt in the Gulf of Mexico.
“Which is kind of weird when you’re on a cruise, right? It should be at cruising speed,” the passenger, Amir Najafi, recollects of the situation in the news interview. “So I look out … and lo and behold, there is a kayak. I’m like, ‘What are these people doing out in the middle of the sea?'”
How A Cruise Ship Rescued Men In A Kayak Stranded At Sea
As it turns out, the men in the tandem sit-on-top weren’t out for a leisurely paddling trip. In another video shared with ABC affiliate station WFAA in Dallas, you can hear the faint shrill of whistle blasts as the Carnival crew spots them.
The stopped cruise ship allowed the pair to paddle the kayak toward the Jubilee. In the videos, it appears they did so by each using half of a breakdown paddle. Once they reached the ship, they were able to climb aboard.
In a statement from Carnival, the men shared they were in another boat that sank. Presumably, the kayak was on their vessel, which they then took to as a lifeboat.
The waters in the Gulf of Mexico are relatively warm compared to other bodies of water in North America, currently measuring around 75 degrees Fahrenheit at the Bay of Campeche monitoring station 214 nautical miles northeast of Veracruz, Mexico. Still, dehydration, sun exposure, and hypothermia are real concerns when stranded at sea. Since the men weren’t expecting to be at a paddler’s proximity to the water and likely had little time to react, they were wearing just jeans and t-shirts. Fortunately, it appears at least one had a PFD.
News reports don’t mention whether they had a cell phone or handheld radio with them, but it’s safe to assume they did not or their cell phone was of no use in their location. Having their whistle and being able to make contact with the Jubilee is the fortunate stroke that likely saved their lives.
The Carnival statement also mentioned the men received first aid treatment and food once on board before being transferred to the Mexican Navy. Hopefully, their time on the Jubilee included a few well-earned moments under an umbrella with a tall, cool drink.
