Carnival Mardi Gras rescued nine people from a disabled boat off the coast of Florida on Saturday, stopping to render aid shortly after leaving port.

The cruise line confirmed all nine were brought safely aboard and later handed over to authorities in the Bahamas.

Crew spots distress flag off Sebastian Inlet

Mardi Gras departed Port Canaveral at 3:30 p.m. on May 16 for a 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing. At approximately 5:45 p.m., while 33.5 nautical miles southeast of Canaveral near Sebastian Inlet, crew members spotted a vessel displaying a distress flag and people waving for help.

The ship slowed and crew members boarded a small lifeboat to reach the disabled craft. The U.S. Coast Guard was notified.

All nine adults were brought aboard Mardi Gras, where they received food, water, and medical evaluation. The ship resumed speed at 6:18 p.m. and was making 16.8 knots by 7:29 p.m., bound for Nassau.

Carnival Mardi Gras came to the rescue of nine people aboard a distressed vessel on Saturday, off the coast of Sebastian Inlet, Florida. The ship’s crew spotted the vessel displaying a distress flag, notified the U.S. Coast Guard, and safely brought all nine adults aboard.

It went on to say, “They remained in the ship’s care until arrival in Nassau, Bahamas on Sunday afternoon where they disembarked the vessel with Bahamian authorities,” a Carnival spokesperson told Cruise Radio.

The disabled vessel was later retrieved by the U.S. Coast Guard. What caused the boat to malfunction, how long those aboard had been adrift, and where they were headed have not been disclosed.

Nine handed over to Bahamian authorities

Marine Traffic data shows Mardi Gras arrived in Nassau at 9:13 a.m. Sunday and was docked by 9:30 a.m., 47 minutes ahead of the scheduled 10:00 a.m. arrival.

The nine people were disembarked into the custody of Bahamian authorities, with one seen walking down the gangway in handcuffs.

There was no impact to the ship’s itinerary or its passengers, many of whom praised the crew for the rescue. Mardi Gras is scheduled to continue to Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic, Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos, and Celebration Key in the Bahamas before returning to Port Canaveral on May 23.

This is not the first such rescue by a Carnival ship this year. In April, Carnival Legend rescued a man and his cat from a disabled sailboat en route to Cozumel. Last year, Carnival Splendor diverted course to rescue four sailors and three dogs.