The captain and crew of the Disney Cruise Line Disney Treasure will be awarded the Association for Rescue at Sea 2025 Cruise Ship Humanitarian Assistance Award for the rescue of four people 220 nautical miles southwest of Bermuda Nov. 10, 2024.
The Disney Treasure was transiting the Atlantic Ocean south of Bermuda enroute Florida to begin operations in Port Canaveral – the ship’s new homeport – when they received a request for assistance from U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center Norfolk, Va., indicating a sailing vessel was in distress approximately 80 nautical miles from the cruise ship’s position. The vessel was taking on water and the four people onboard were requesting immediate rescue.
After confirming with RCC Norfolk that emergency assistance was required, the Disney Treasure diverted course and proceeded at full speed for approximately four hours to reach the sailboat. During this high-speed transit, the ship’s crew established and maintained continuous communications with RCC Norfolk, an orbiting U.S. Coast Guard C130 rescue plane, and the distressed vessel, the S/V Serenity.
Captain Marco Nogara developed a clear picture of the situation during the transit to safely assess risk and develop an operational plan. The weather conditions on scene were extremely challenging – approximately 15-foot seas and 30-knot winds. The captain selected a lifeboat to serve as the rescue asset, with a hand-picked crew of highly experienced officers and crew.
The Disney Treasure arrived on-scene in the afternoon and launched the lifeboat with a crew of five. The Coast Guard rescue plane provided aerial support, orbiting the area and providing a communications relay back to RCC Norfolk.
Despite the heavy weather conditions, the lifeboat commander expertly maneuvered the lifeboat close to the sinking sailing vessel close enough to safely throw over a line and carefully bring the vessels together. In the rough seas, the crew transferred the four victims from the sailing vessel without incident, along with several bags of gear, and came back alongside the Disney Treasure.
Exercising superb teamwork and skill, the crew clearly communicated with the ship team to execute a swift and safe recovery of the lifeboat, without any injuries to the crew or damage to the lifeboat. The survivors of the sailboat were medically cleared onboard Disney Treasure and disembarked the ship two days later when the ship called into Port Canaveral, Florida.
The AFRAS Cruise Ship Humanitarian Assistance Award was established in September 2016 and is presented to a cruise ship captain and crew for recognition in taking part in a heroic rescue at sea anywhere in the world.
