Costa Serena rescued a group of five shipwrecked fishermen in the Arabian Sea off the west coast of India on Christmas Day.

The cruise ship was on her scheduled passage from Mumbai to Kochi on December 25th when the ship’s bridge received a phone call from two passengers who had spotted the fisherman from their cabin balcony.

The call was received around midday and the ship’s master, Captain Andrea Bardi, immediately altered course to begin the search and rescue operation.

Costa Serena also notified the Indian Coast Guard, who reached the area after several hours and took over the SAR operation, following the coordinates provided by Costa Serena.

All five people were safely recovered by the Indian Coast Guard and are currently receiving first-aid treatment at Mumbai Hospital and are reportedly in good health.

On December 26th, when Costa Serena docked at the port of Kochi, the Captain of the Indian Coast Guard delivered an appreciation plaque to the ship’s Captain and his crew, thanking them for the efforts made during the search and rescue operation.  

Costa Serena is currently sailing a several month homeporting cruise season in India, cruising roundtrip from Mumbai to Kochi and other destinations on the India coast.

From November until March, the ship will sail 23 roundtrip itineraries of 2 to 5 nights from Mumbai to Kochi, Goa and, for the first time ever, the beautiful Lakshadweep islands. The last roundtrip cruise of the season will also include a port call in the Maldives.

In a sign of the growing importance of India as a cruise destination and cruise home market, Costa Cruises said in a statement at the beginning of the season that the cruise experience aboard Costa Serena has been tailored to offer “warm hospitality and customization with Indian cuisine and entertainment”.

Costa Cruises sailings in India are popular with both families and couples looking for an international cruise experience with Italian hospitality. The cruise line has homeported in India for several years, most recently offering week-long itineraries out of Mumbai to the Maldives.

Costa Cruises joins Cordelia Cruises in Mumbai, with the homegrown Indian cruise brand also sailing a range of roundtrip cruises on the Indian coastline.