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Cruise Ship Reroutes Due To Weather And Rescues Two Sailors Stranded At Sea For 20 Days

December 24, 2018

Two sailors who were low on food and stranded at sea for nearly three weeks desperately needed a miracle.

Then a cruise ship appeared.

On Friday night, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship rescued two men who were stranded at sea for 20 days in a small fishing boat somewhere between Jamaica and Grand Cayman.

And the chance encounter was only possible because the cruise ship had been rerouted.

Royal Caribbean's chief meteorologist James Van Fleet said the ship took a detour from its normal itinerary due to poor weather and would have not located the castaways otherwise.

More pics to share from @RoyalCaribbean #EmpressoftheSeas rescuing 2 Mariners who had been at Sea for 20 DAYS in that small boat between #Jamaica and #GrandCayman! See last pic for story. UNREAL and so PROUD of Officers and Crew! Thank you @jleberle and @caryjames007 for pics. pic.twitter.com/VEw1tzChMO

— James Van Fleet (@JamesVanFleet) December 21, 2018

"Sometimes a little luck is all you need for a miracle," Van Fleet said.

The two mariners were given water and medical attention on board the ship and there were no injuries reported.

The cruise ship's crew also gave them $300 to buy clothes and food as they left the hospital.