Cruise ship saves dozens of migrants on boat near Florida Keys

Two cruise ships rescued dozens of people in a small boat near Cuba on Monday. This is the latest incident of immigrants trying to reach the US recently through the Florida Keys.

Captain Kate McCue said in a video posted to Instagram on Tuesday that staff from the Fort Lauderdale-bound Celebrity Beyond ship rescued 19 people from the boat and provided food, shelter and medical services. rice field.

“We are grateful for the crew’s prompt action and the lives saved as a result,” the celebrity told ABC News in a statement.

Additionally, crew members aboard the Carnival Celebration found five people on board drifting at sea about 29 miles northwest of Cuba and stopped to help them, the company said. spokesperson told ABC News in a statement.

The crew contacted and met with the U.S. Coast Guard near Key West, Florida, according to Carnival Cruise Lines spokesperson Matt Lupoli.

“The ship resumed sailing without affecting its scheduled itinerary, and Carnival Celebration returned to Miami on Tuesday morning after a week-long Caribbean cruise,” Lupoli said.

The USCG did not respond to requests for comment.

The rescue came on the same day that Dry Tortugas National Park in the Florida Keys announced Monday. This is due to the closure of operations at the park due to the influx of immigrants who have landed in the past few days.

“The Homeland Security Task Force – Southeast is aware of multiple migrant landfalls in Dry Tortugas National Park and the Marquesas this weekend. , and local components are currently coordinating efforts to recover individuals stranded on remote, uninhabited islands,” said Commander, 7th Coast Guard Division and director of the Homeland Security Task Force. Maj. Gen. Brendan C. McPherson said in a statement.

Dry Tortugas is a 100-square-mile park located 70 miles west of Key West, Florida. It consists of seven small islands and is accessible only by boat or seaplane.

Armando Garcia of ABC News contributed to this report.