World's biggest cruise ship rescues 14 people stranded at sea for more than a week

People onboard the Icon of the Seas took videos of the rescue efforts

Crew on what is considered the world's largest cruise ship rescued 14 people clinging to a small boat adrift in the ocean, authorities said.

Passengers aboard the Icon of the Seas captured video of the crew using a small vessel to ferry the group to the safety of the cruise ship on Sunday.

The cruise had begun in Miami, Florida, and the ship was headed for Honduras when the rescue happened, passengers said.

The cruise ship encountered the small vessel “adrift and in need of assistance," Miami-based Royal Caribbean said in a statement on Thursday.

“The ship’s crew immediately launched a rescue operation, safely bringing 14 people on board,” the company said. "The crew provided them with medical attention, and is working closely with the US Coast Guard.”

The crew broadcast “Code Oscar, Code Oscar, Code Oscar,” over the loudspeakers at around 3 pm, Alessandra Amodio said in a report on FoxWeather.com.

Ms Amodio said she watched as people on the tiny craft waved a large white flag.

“The boat turned around, and we pulled up as close as we could to them and stopped,” she said. The cruise ship then launched "a small zodiac-type rescue boat to investigate.”

After the rescue, Ms Amodio said the cruise ship's captain announced that the crew had rescued 14 people stranded at sea for eight days.

No details were given as to who exactly was rescued and what they were doing at sea.

The Icon of the Seas is considered by cruise industry experts to be the largest cruise ship in the world at the moment.

It can host 5,610 guests and 2,350 crew members. The ship has 2,850 accommodation rooms, 18 guest decks and seven swimming pools.

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