Carnival Cruise Ship Rescues Four, Pets Near New Caledonia

Four people—couples Dustin Leonard and Helena Franczak, and Argentinians Juli and Ivan—and three dogs were rescued by the Carnival Splendor cruise ship after a storm disabled their catamaran about 170 nautical miles from New Caledonia. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Nouméa relayed their distress call after the vessel lost its masts and engines. Captain Eduardo Ferrone led the Carnival Splendor on a five-hour diversion through rough seas to reach the stranded group. Once aboard, the rescued individuals and their pets received food, water, and medical care, and the dogs quickly became popular among passengers. The rescued couples expressed deep gratitude for the professionalism and compassion of the cruise ship crew. This incident is Carnival Cruise Line's second recent high-profile sea rescue, following an operation near Cuba the previous week.