A dream cruise turned into a nightmare when a boat carrying more than 50 tourists suddenly sank off the coast of the Dominican Republic.
The 40-foot catamaran, Boca de Yuma 1, was taking passengers from the German cruise ship Mein Schiff 1 on a sunset tour of Samaná Bay when it started leaking and went under.
Videos show people screaming and clinging to life vests as the boat filled with water. Some children and older passengers were seen floating in the ocean while rescue crews raced in.
“I thought I was going to die,” said one passenger, Katrin M., who spoke to German media. “The crew didn’t know what to do. Everyone was crying and holding onto each other.”
The Dominican Navy said the boat “malfunctioned inside the hull and began to make water.” It sank shortly after leaving the Embat Pier.
Navy officials and nearby boats rushed to help. Everyone on board — including two Dominican crew members — was rescued. Several people had minor injuries but no one died.
“The rescue was fast thanks to other boats in the area,” said Navy spokesperson Rafael Jimenez. “We made sure every passenger was brought safely back to port.”
Investigators are trying to figure out what caused the leak. Early reports suggest the boat might have hit something floating in the water.
“The Navy is working with local authorities to find out what happened and prevent this from happening again,” officials said in a statement.
The tour company that owned the boat runs trips in the Los Haitises area and is cooperating with the investigation.
TUI Cruises, which operates Mein Schiff 1, confirmed all guests were safe and offered compensation.
“All guests were returned to the cruise ship right after the rescue,” a spokesperson said. “The captain of the excursion boat called for help immediately, and the response was quick. We are thankful everyone is safe.”
The company said the catamaran was built to hold up to 80 people.
Despite the terrifying experience, the passengers chose to continue their cruise, which is now heading to Montego Bay, Jamaica.
“I still can’t believe it happened,” passenger Katrin M. said. “We were just taking sunset pictures. Then the water started coming in.”
The accident has renewed concerns about the safety of excursion boats in the Caribbean. Many are owned by small local operators and aren’t always checked as carefully as larger cruise ships.
“These smaller boats often don’t have the same safety standards,” said maritime expert Carlos Mendoza. “Tourists assume they’re safe, but that’s not always true.”
For now, the passengers of Mein Schiff 1 are safe — but shaken. What was meant to be a peaceful evening on the water turned into a story they’ll never forget.
Sources: Dominican Today, RTL, Listin Diario, Navy of the Dominican Republic, TUI Cruises
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