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10 Cuban Refugees Rescued By Passing Carnival Cruise Ship

Posted: 8:04 am EDT September 24, 2007

Carnival cruise ship passengers spent a week in the Caribbean, but their most memorable moment happened on the trip home.

Orlando and Jean Polanco of Apopka said their ship was headed back to Miami when the crew spotted a raft with ten men inside. The couple used their video camera to shoot video of the migrants on the raft.

The ship turned around to pick them up, but the Polancos said passengers interfered, warning the men if they got on board they'd be headed back to Cuba.

"They started paddling back. But it was too strong," said Orlando Polanco.

"I couldn't stop myself from tearing up. My heart just went out to them," Jean Polanco said.

The men were brought on board and transferred to a U.S. Coast Guard ship where immigration officials will determine if they qualify to enter the country as refugees.

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