It was a typical day for this ship’s passengers enjoying their luxury vacation. Usually, the worst that could happen on such a trip is having to choose between two sumptuous dining options.

As the Pacific Princess set sail, passengers left their worries on land. They were looking forward to an idyllic vacation at sea. With the wide open ocean stretched out before them and no pressing responsibilities, they were confident they could relax without any interruptions.

During their 8-day journey, the passengers on the boat traversed the North Sea and made stops at various locations in the British Isles. As the trip was coming to a close and the vessel was making its way back to Dover, England, the passengers were looking forward to returning to dry land.

The passengers on the cruise ship were caught off guard when, without warning, their vessel suddenly altered its course during dinner. Confused and surprised, they watched as the crew rushed about in a frenzy, clearly preparing for something unexpected.

Cruise ships usually stick to a predetermined route and only deviate from it in the case of unforeseen circumstances, such as storms or rough seas. Therefore, when the Pacific Princess suddenly changed course, it was clear that something was seriously wrong. 

As the ship approached the location of the mysterious light, it became evident that the captain’s decision to trust his instincts had been right. Upon arriving at the source of the light, they found that it was not an optical illusion. 

As the captain navigated the ship towards the emergency flare, he knew that the person who had set it off was likely in serious trouble. Time was precious, and any delay on their part could potentially cost this other flagging vessel their lives.

Standard procedure dictates that the Coast Guard would be responsible for conducting a search mission like this one. However, the captain of the ship knew that his vessel was the closest to the scene and that time was of the essence.

After altering the ship’s course, the captain spotted something in the distance floating in the ocean. From a distance, it was difficult to tell what it was as there was nothing else around it. The captain was unsure if it was just flotsam or something more significant.  

As the ship moved closer to the mysterious object floating in the ocean, the passengers on board became increasingly curious and concerned. They crowded the railings on every deck and balcony, eager to catch a glimpse of what had caused the captain to alter the ship’s course so suddenly.

As the Pacific Princess approached the floating object, the captain realized with a sense of relief that it was a life raft. From a distance, things had looked bleak, and he had feared that he might have arrived too late to assist.

As the ship approached the life raft, the captain and his crew were relieved to see that there were three men aboard, all of whom were alive. The men, who had been adrift for hours, peeked out from the raft, grateful to see another vessel.

The captain didn’t wait for the go-ahead to start the mission when he set out for those stranded people. He intended to save them as soon as possible. Making them wait many hours for someone to sign off on the plan was definitely out of the question.

The passengers on the ship gathered to watch the floating raft. Fear was evident in the men’s eyes as they waited to be saved. According to Teena Dowd, one of the passengers on the ship Pacific Princess, none of the men thought they would be rescued. 

There were no promises of success. The ship did its best to move in, slowly but surely, towards the stranded men. Their goal was to throw a rope down to allow the survivors to reach it to climb aboard. But climbing up the side of the cruise ship after hours of dehydration would not be easy.

The first person they tried to save was able to climb the makeshift ladder. It looked like they were about to win their first victory until he slipped and plummeted back into the water. From such a height, this drop can be very harmful.

The captain was not pleased with the turn of events. He firmly believed the rescue process should have been much smoother. He backtracked on the plan and went back to the drawing board. First thing first: they would need a better ladder.

The passengers onboard the ship couldn’t help but break into a round of applause when the men finally arrived on the ship. However, their cheers were short-lived as the captain mournfully announced that two more men were still missing.

After the captain was informed that there were more survivors, he was worried that these other fishermen the men told him about were in the boat before it went under. Though he was able to solve one problem, he had to figure out what to do next.

The captain opted to keep the ship in the area instead of immediately heading back to the port. They intended to find the remaining fishermen while the Coast Guard took their time to arrive in their vicinity.

The Coast Guard did what they do best. They released helicopters and various patrol boats to search the entire area for a lifeboat, raft, or signs of people. Some local ships were also tasked to assist in the mission.

The Coast Guard thoroughly scanned the area throughout the evening until the small hours of the morning. Eventually, at 3:30 am, the search was called off. They didn’t want to give up, though, as they attempted to return to the same place at first light.