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After 5 yesterday evening, the Coast Guard received a distressing call that a boat had taken on water and its 17 passengers were stuck out at sea.

Fortunately, a catamaran filled with Carnival cruise passengers was passing at the same time and was able to assist them. No injuries were reported and all 17 persons made it back safely.

And today, the Coast Guard told us more about their operations and how the boat ended up underwater.

Lt. JG. Melissa Jones, Operations Officer, Belize Coast Guard
"We received a call concerned a vessel which capsized and we activated as protocol our quick response team, however, upon arrival at the scene, there were 17 individuals, we did not do per se a rescue, however we did do a recovery and there was a catamaran in the area who assisted them but we played a role in assisting the captain by retrieving the vessel and towing it to safe harbor."

"The type of vessel is a Lanchon vessel capsized, well, it did not really capsize, it was taking in water as to the integrity of the hull. The caption revealed to us that he believes that they had hit a rock and then due to the integrity of the hull, it caused the vessel to be taking in water."

"The captain was saying that they were traveling form Rendezvous Island going to English Caye and this took place in the English Caye channel, and due to the integrity of the hull, it would be then the sea state that would cause that if they had hit the hull in a shallow area and then the waves would then impact the hull and cause it to burst and then take in water."

Reporter:
In terms of the catamaran, was it in the area at the time and as a result was able to jump into action?"

Lt. JG. Melissa Jones, Operations Officer, Belize Coast Guard
"Yes, the catamaran was taking back guests to the cruise ship that was in the harbor."

"The information we received was that they were at the Rendezvous Island, however we departed our quick response team which went into that direction however we got another call which says it's close to the English Caye channel which then we then diverted from Rendezvous to English Caye and that was when... if they had went directly to English Caye, they would have intercepted and gathered the people before the catamaran."