Cruise ship assists Cuban rafters

Cruise ship assists Cuban rafters

Friday, August 18, 2006; Posted: 4:25 p.m. EDT (20:25 GMT)

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- A Carnival Cruise ship assisted nine Cuban
rafters adrift in the western Caribbean this week.

The rafters were spotted and photographed Thursday by iReport
contributor Finola M. Jacobucci, a passenger aboard the Carnival Glory.
They accepted water, food and life jackets but refused to come aboard,
according to Carnival Cruise Lines.

The ship with about 3,500 passengers was en route from Costa Maya,
Mexico, to Nassau, Bahamas, when the rafters were spotted.

"It's a maritime tradition to help mariners in distress," said spokesman
Vance Gulliksen. "It doesn't happen a lot, but it does happen
occasionally," he said.

Staff onboard the ship notified the U.S. Coast Guard, which picked up
the rafters, Carnival Cruise Lines said.

The Coast Guard did not confirm or deny the incident, saying it cannot
comment on ongoing investigations.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/08/18/cuban.rafters/index.html