Faamotu Puleitu will never forget the cold morning on Sunday, 26 October. He was part of the 14 Samoan sailors on board the cruise ship, MSC Splendida, that rescued 19 North African migrants adrift off Cabrera, one of Spain’s Balearic Islands.

The 26-year-old from Vaisala, Savaii, was asleep when the ship’s captain alerted them of a rescue call they had received.

It was a distress call from the refugees drifting at sea. Their vessel’s engine had failed.

Puleitu said the captain gave instructions, and they started preparing for the rescue.

When Puleitu and his shipmates arrived at the location where the refugees were drifting, they found them tied together. Their boat had sunk, and the ropes ensured that they did not drift away from each other.

He explained that they had to jump into the sea and use knives to cut the ropes and bring the migrants aboard carefully.

“They tried to climb up the ladder we provided, but most of them couldn’t—they were too weak and freezing from spending the whole night out there in the cold,” he recalled.

“We had to use ropes to pull them up because they didn’t have the strength to climb on their own due to the winter weather and the long hours floating at sea.

The sailors also witnessed that the migrants were completely out of food. Despite having limited supplies themselves, the Samoan crew shared what they had, which helped the survivors regain their strength after hours of drifting in the sea.

For Puleitu, this was the first time he had experienced such a rescue. He said the rescue was tough, but he is grateful that he was there to help with the rescue.

Aboard the MSC Splendida, they provided blankets, water, and basic care until the vessel reached Barcelona, where the migrants were handed over to Spanish authorities and placed under the care of social services.

MSC Slendida’s Captain Giuseppe Maresca and Safety Officer Antonio Bovento later commended the Samoan crew for their bravery and professionalism. Samoa Shipping Services (SSS), which represents Samoan seafarers employed by MSC, also praised the team for upholding the highest standards of seamanship and humanity at sea.

Over the years, Samoa’s seafarers have become an important presence on overseas vessels, with hundreds recruited through agencies like Samoa Shipping Services (SSS). It was reported in June 2021 that more than 520 Samoan sailors were approved for employment on international ships, reflecting strong demand for their labour.