Australian Wildfires
 

The Silversea Silver Muse was almost part of a rescue evacuation from Mallacoota. The Australian Navy had requested their assistance and the Muse reversed course and headed for Mallacoota. For whatever reason the request was cancelled and the Muse resumed her course to Sydney. Good on them to be willing and able to assist even though eventually called off. There was a separate posting in the Silversea Facebook group with photographs taken on the Muse where even out at sea the smoke was so thick nobody was out on deck. Sad and dangerous situation for almost the whole country.

I sure as hell hope they would comply with the request. To do otherwise would be inexcusable. There are several international conventions and treaties that apply a duty to rescue people at sea which certainly could cover people driven into it by wildfires.

I suspect there is some obligation by the cruise line especially once they are in a country’s territorial waters. The report I saw was actually on Facebook from passengers on the Silver Muse so lacked details. Certainly cruise lines have assisted with searches and rescues at sea and I recall a few cases particularly in the Caribbean where they’ve provided assistance after hurricanes.