Dozens of Cruise Passengers Rescued from Ocean After Tourist Catamaran Carrying 50 Sinks

Dozens of cruise passengers were rescued from the ocean after an excursion catamaran sank in the Dominican Republic on Sunday, Nov. 9.

The incident occurred in Samaná Bay, the Navy of the Dominican Republic confirmed in a Facebook post, stating that officers had “promptly attended a maritime incident” involving a 40-foot-long catamaran-type vessel called Boca de Yuma.

“The vessel, which had two Dominican crew members, including the captain, malfunctioned inside the hull and began to make water,” the Navy shared.

The Navy shared multiple photos of the rescue, writing that the vessel had sailed from Embat Pier, and had been carrying passengers from the cruise ship Mein Schiff 1, operated by TUI Cruises.

A TUI Cruises spokesperson confirmed in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that there were around 50 guests from its Mein Schiff 1 cruise ship on board the catamaran when it sank.

The statement read, “We can confirm that an excursion catamaran operated by an external provider sank on November 9, 2025, during a shore excursion … All guests are safe and were returned to Mein Schiff 1 immediately after the rescue.”

“According to the information currently available, there was a collision with an object in the water. The captain of the excursion boat immediately contacted other boats in the vicinity and requested assistance,” TUI Cruises added in the statement.

“The rescue of the guests was the top priority and was successful. We would like to thank the crew members involved for their help. The catamaran had a capacity of up to 80 guests,” they said.

The statement continued, “The guests affected were immediately offered pastoral care and compensation. All of them decided to continue the trip,” adding, “We are continuing to investigate the incident together with the provider and the relevant authorities. The safety and well-being of our guests is our top priority.”

The Navy confirmed on Monday, “Before the emergency call, the Navy proceeded to provide communication support, logistical support and operational assistance so that the company’s vessels, owner of the damaged catamaran, would transit people and drive them to port,” per the translated Facebook post.

The cause of the incident is now being investigated.

“The Dominican Republic Navy collaborates with local authorities to determine responsibilities and take preventive measures to avoid similar incidents in the future,” the post continued.

No fatalities were reported following the incident, but several people sustained minor injuries, local outlet Dominican Today reported, citing preliminary information.

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The boat that sank belongs to one of the companies that conducts excursions in the Los Haitises area, according to local outlet Listin Diario.

The Dominican Civil Defense and the Navy of the Dominican Republic didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.