Cruise ship rescues Cuban refugees

(CNS): Twenty four Cubans were rescued from the ocean on Wednesday by a Carnival cruise ship, local officials have confirmed. The Paradise which was en route to Cayman yesterday helped the 23 men and one woman who were in trouble about 20 miles South of Cuba as their boat was letting in water and appeared to be sinking. They brought them here because Cayman was their next port of call and the refugees are currently being processed by Immigration, an RCIPS spokesperson confirmed. The refugees were aboard a wooden boat which had been stranded for some five days at sea and the cruise line stated that they were in distress when the ship altered course slightly to pick them up.

"In keeping with a long-time tradition of aiding mariners in distress, Carnival Paradise altered its course and brought on board 24 individuals from Cuba who were provided with food, water, fresh clothing and accommodations and evaluated by the ship's medical team," Carnival told Reuters news agency on Thursday.

On arrival in Cayman the refugees were handed over to local authorities for processing who said they all apepared in good health. The refugees are now at the immigration detention centre awaiting the outcome and likely deportation back to Cuba.