Overloading blamed for ship sinking; how Carnival Vista and US Coast Guard saved lives

December 21, 2023 – Possible overloading is being blamed for the sinking of a Dominican cargo boat “ Two Brothers” on its way to the Turks and Caicos on December 13th. According to a local news agency, ‘Dominican Today’ the ship was captained by Valentin Polanco Calco. Photos of the ship which was carrying cars and shipping containers were shared widely online.

The vessel sank before it could make the 370 kilometer journey. While six men managed to make it into a lifeboat and were found by a passing cruise ship, the Carnival Vista and the US Coast Guard, the other six held on for dear life to flotsam from the wreck.

It is reported that the nearby Carnival Cruise ship Vista headed to the scene after receiving an emergency alert signal, according to a Carnival spokesperson. The ship’s crew then spotted a life raft with six people on board.

Acting quickly the Carnival Cruise ship crew called in the Coast Guard who found the wreck and the missing men.   A cage was extended and one by one the men were pulled up into a helicopter before being transferred to emergency services on land.