Reflection Rescue

[jameybano]

I have received several sporadic text messages this morning from friends abroad the Refection. They are currently stopped and providing assistance to a raft with about 10-12 persons, awaiting the arrival of the coast guard.

Thank God they were spotted.

[jsf]

Why are they sporadic messages? In this day of electric marvels I would think that a text would be very simple to send.

J.

[cle-guy]

I have received several sporadic text messages this morning from friends abroad the Refection. They are currently stopped and providing assistance to a raft with about 10-12 persons, awaiting the arrival of the coast guard.

Thank God they were spotted.

 

Unfortunately for those being spotted, their dream trip from Cuba to USA is over.

 

Wonder what happens when they get sent back to Cuba..? Will they face any penalties from their government?

 

Never really hear about the ending to these stories. I think a lot of people assume they get brought the the USA when rescued at sea, which isn't the case.

[Snowescapee]

I looked up the position of Reflection and thought the same thing. Sadly, the raft must be people trying to escape Cuba.

[sperkins921]

Why are they sporadic messages? In this day of electric marvels I would think that a text would be very simple to send.

J.

 

 

Maybe they are far enough out to sea that cellular coverage is spotty. Or maybe the person literally meant sporadic as in the person texting them from the Reflection is only texting them occasionally when they have an update.

 

Unfortunately for those being spotted, their dream trip from Cuba to USA is over.

 

Wonder what happens when they get sent back to Cuba..? Will they face any penalties from their government?

 

Never really hear about the ending to these stories. I think a lot of people assume they get brought the the USA when rescued at sea, which isn't the case.

 

I missed where the OP said it was a raft from Cuba. You must've looked it up?

 

I've always wondered what happens when they re-enter their home country too.

[cle-guy]

I missed where the OP said it was a raft from Cuba. You must've looked it up?

 

yeah ship's between Cuba and USA, looks like it took a while to turn back though based on its tracking.

 

It's about 50 km NE of Havanna, just over 1/3 of the way to Key West.

Edited November 9, 2014 by cle-guy

[deise17311]

It's actually not "thank god they were spotted"...they will be returned to Cuba and probably jailed or worse...people think ships are rescuing people when in fact they are not...these people are not brought to the US, they are returned to their home country...from which they were trying to escape!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[curiouscat]

they have to hit the shore of the US.. otherwise they are sent back:(

 

CC

[jameybano]

Just received a text that the Reflection is being diverted to Key West to deliver the refugees there.

I am happy that they were rescued from the sea but sad about their fate. I cannot imagine how desperate their situations must be.

[jameybano]

My friends have said that the refugees were waving their hands frantically to be rescued.

Edited November 9, 2014 by jameybano

[jameybano]

My friend just texted me to say that the refugees are indeed Cuban. She just witnessed them being removed from the ship by the coast guard.

[Sloop-JohnB]

Poor beggars... Looks like they made it almost half way (according to Marine Traffic website).

 

Glad tho they are at least safe & sound.

 

Cheers!

[dwhe]

Just received a text that the Reflection is being diverted to Key West to deliver the refugees there.

I am happy that they were rescued from the sea but sad about their fate. I cannot imagine how desperate their situations must be.

 

Ah that means they must have been Americans trying to get to Cuba and they've been returned home :D

Edited November 10, 2014 by dwhe

[Gamblerdeb]

Hello,

 

My brother fled Cuba last week in a raft and has not been heard of since. Last night when we saw the news of 12 rafters being rescued by the Cruise Liner Reflection it gave us a tiny bit of hope. If anyone knows any of the names of the rafters please help me and our family. My brothers name is Juan Ricardo Guzman and he was born in 1982. Please if anyone knows anything please feel free to e-mail me or call me we are desperate!!! dguzman2004@hotmail.com 786-356-7460. Thank you Debra Guzman

Edited November 10, 2014 by Gamblerdeb

[cle-guy]

Hello,

 

My brother fled Cuba last week in a raft and has not been heard of since. Last night when we saw the news of 12 rafters being rescued by the Cruise Liner Reflection it gave us a tiny bit of hope. If anyone knows any of the names of the rafters please help me and our family. My brothers name is Juan Ricardo Guzman and he was born in 1982. Please if anyone knows anything please feel free to e-mail me or call me we are desperate!!! dguzman2004@hotmail.com 786-356-7460. Thank you Debra Guzman

 

Try contacting the Key West Coast guard station: (305) 292-8713

 

Reports are this is where the refugees were taken.

[nzimmer]

I was on the cruise. I did not actually witness the rescue, but I did see photos someone had taken of the makeshift raft that the Cubans had used. We did not actually divert all the way to Key West. We sailed in that direction in order to rendezvous with the Coast Guard. The diversion didn't cause a delay in our arrival in Cozumel. Of course, whether we arrived on time is not as important as the fate of the refugees. Maybe the U.S. should do something more significant to help the plight of the poor Cubans who would risk their lives in attempts to cross to Florida, like finally ending the embargo preventing trade with and investment in Cuba.

[purpletequila]

Hi,

I was on this cruise too and watched them do the rescue from the back of the Oceanview Cafe. I thought something was off when I woke up pretty early Sunday and the ship was stopped. I talked with a crew member and his story was that however it happened, the 3 cruise ships in the area were told to be on the lookout for them. Maybe a smaller vessel called it in, I don't know but this crew member said other crew members were doing whatever they do overnight and heard people screaming for help. According to this guy, they alerted higher ups who used lights to locate them and that was that. It took several hours but eventually the Coast Guard gave the ok for the captain to bring them aboard and a little bit after that, the USCG ordered us to "rendezvous" with them in Key West to transfer the refugees to them.

 

Overall, it was pretty amazing to witness and the captain and crew did a spectacular job of 1) Rescuing them, 2) Keeping us informed and 3) Getting us to our first port of call on time.

 

I'm working on a review and have a few pictures that I'll put up soon.

[Lois R]

I was on this cruise too. Saw part of the rescue and I agree, the Capt

kept everyone informed.

[rams1976]

If they had come to the UK like this, then they would have got a free house and all the welfare benefits they wanted!! :(

[Balloon Man]

It makes me ashamed to hear a fellow countryman say something like this about people being rescued at sea. Whatever their motives they are human beings.

[beach girl66]

I was on this sailing, the 12 people in the raft ( which looked like inner tubes tied together with rope and gallon jugs hanging off it)were waving and yelling for help. From what I heard they were in the water for 4-5 days.... thankfully they were alive and we were able to help.

[papaflamingo]

I was on the cruise. I did not actually witness the rescue, but I did see photos someone had taken of the makeshift raft that the Cubans had used. We did not actually divert all the way to Key West. We sailed in that direction in order to rendezvous with the Coast Guard. The diversion didn't cause a delay in our arrival in Cozumel. Of course, whether we arrived on time is not as important as the fate of the refugees. Maybe the U.S. should do something more significant to help the plight of the poor Cubans who would risk their lives in attempts to cross to Florida, like finally ending the embargo preventing trade with and investment in Cuba.

 

I spent 12 years as a Coast Guard Pilot. I flew many hours in 1980 on the Mariel Boat Lift. Thousands of Cubans fled to the U.S. Most were put into camps initially then sent to relatives, re-located, etc. It was extremely controversial. The U.S. laws are specific and they must set foot on U.S. soil to be granted asylum. If you disagree with that law, you should write your Congressman and have it changed. However based on the current Congressional "attitude" on Immigration Reform, it's unlikely that it'll be changed. It's an idiological dilemma. The Statue of Liberty says

 

"Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

 

But....maybe not.... just ask Congress.

Enough of the "opinion." We have friends who were with us on Reflection and it's the 3rd cruise in a row to the Western Caribbean when they have diverted for Cuban Refugees. It happen everyday. If they weren't sent back, it would re-open an event like the Mariel Boat Lift where 125,000 refugees came to the U.S.

[milesfromu]

A few pictures associated with this topic.

 

 

[GOLDENBONNY]

I was on the cruise. I did not actually witness the rescue, but I did see photos someone had taken of the makeshift raft that the Cubans had used. We did not actually divert all the way to Key West. We sailed in that direction in order to rendezvous with the Coast Guard. The diversion didn't cause a delay in our arrival in Cozumel. Of course, whether we arrived on time is not as important as the fate of the refugees. Maybe the U.S. should do something more significant to help the plight of the poor Cubans who would risk their lives in attempts to cross to Florida, like finally ending the embargo preventing trade with and investment in Cuba.

 

 

US did not start embargo out of nothing and really USA cannot afford any more ferugees on walfer.