Drama at sea: Cruise ship crew saves 19 migrants from drowning

The cruise ship "MSC Splendida" picked up 19 illegal migrants shortly after 4 p.m. on Sunday, approximately 20 nautical miles off Cabrera, according to the central government's representation in the Balearic Islands. Dramatic scenes unfolded, as reported by the Mallorca Zeitung .

Images taken by passengers or crew members on board the cruise ship show the migrants swimming in the water and desperately trying to pull themselves up a ladder on the ship.

A Facebook post uploaded by MSC Friends mentions 18 rescued people. "During the last day of our cruise, a boat with 18 people, including three children, was rescued. These people were likely on their way to seek a better future, fleeing a dangerous country. Luckily, we were there. Not many are so lucky," it reads.

As can be seen in the pictures, the migrants were traveling in a small pleasure craft. They reportedly began their journey in Algeria. The "MSC Splendida" then continued its journey to Barcelona.

The last major, publicly reported accident involving a migrant boat off Mallorca occurred in October of last year. Eleven migrants reportedly died in the boating accident. Three occupants of the boat were rescued alive by the Spanish Maritime Rescue Service and taken to Son Espases Hospital in Palma.

The rescued people reported that the boat, carrying 14 people, had set sail from the Algerian coast about three weeks ago. Eleven passengers fell into the water and drowned when the boat capsized between Menorca and Sardinia.

In the hope of a better life in Europe, hundreds of thousands of people flee across the Mediterranean every year. In 2024, at least 3,530 people lost their lives or were reported missing, according to "Aktion Deutschland hilft."