Dustin Leonard and Helena Franczak, a couple on a global sailing journey, experienced a dramatic rescue by the Carnival Splendor crew in the South Pacific on May 22. Accompanied by two crew members and their three dogs, the couple’s catamaran suffered damage at sea, prompting the cruise ship to divert for a five-hour operation to ensure their safety.
Sunny and Tasha had big plans to sail around the world as their retirement adventure. Leonard added that their excursion didn’t always get off to the smoothest of starts. In the tense and chaotic hours before the rescue, Leonard and Franczak were cool under pressure as intensity escalated. Leonard recalled his thoughts at that moment: “I was like, ‘Everybody, calm down, listen to me. At the moment, we are safe. Yes, this is not good. This is actually quite bad.’”
As the Carnival Splendor passed the couple, they were on their tiny catamaran—which was dramatically dwarfed by the enormous cruise ship. We were cruising along on our little boat when out of nowhere a floating metropolis (the boats are that big!) Then, out of nowhere, they threw down a rope ladder, and I was hooked. I’m thinking, all right, we’re going to have to scramble over that and it was difficult,” Franczak recalled.
With unyielding resolve, Captain Eduardo Ferrone spearheaded the entire rescue operation. He shared the challenges of navigating a large vessel near a smaller one. He stressed the need for respect when facing a 1,000-foot-long vessel with your small, nimble catamaran. With participants having only one chance to get the maneuver right, one small mistake could spell disaster, maybe even sinking the catamaran.
Soon after their rescue, Leonard and Franczak celebrated the fact that they not only survived but were engaged. Leonard jokingly commented on their almost-wedding on the Carnival Splendor, celebrating the couple’s infectious ability to seek laughter even in misfortune. After the ordeal they took this photo with their three rescue dogs, a picture that explains the immense relief and gratitude they feel.
Speaking to “Good Morning America,” Leonard opened up about their ordeal. He similarly commended the crew members for their service and professionalism in effecting the dramatic rescue.
