Sick passengers were airlifted from a cruise ship stranded off the Florida coast as Hurricane Milton barrels towards them.
Passengers on on the Sun Princess cruise ship, which embarked from Southampton, England, 16 days ago were rushed off the ship on Tuesday.
The ship was scheduled to dock in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Wednesday morning but due to the category four hurricane, the docking was expedited. However, Port Everglades, the intended docking point, is closed due to the storm, leaving the ship stranded five miles off the Florida coast.
The ill passengers are currently being evacuated by helicopter, though their destination remains unknown.
The sick passengers were evacuated by helicopter
Hurricane Milton is weakening slightly but remains a ferocious storm that could land a once-in-a-century direct hit on Tampa and St. Petersburg. Florida could be hit with towering storm surges and turning debris from Helene’s devastation 12 days ago.
The toll of damage of the hurricane will depend on its strength and where it makes landfall. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Tuesday afternoon that Hurricane Milton’s intensity had “rebounded,” though it was still a Category 4 storm.
The storm was about 520 miles southwest of Tampa with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (250 kph), the center said. It was traveling east by northeast at 8 mph, it said.
Air Force Reserve hurricane hunters were the ones to find the storm had intensified, the center said. “Today is the last full day for Florida residents to get their families and homes ready and evacuate if told to do so,” the center said.
The Florida Highway Patrol says “heavy traffic patterns are flowing northbound and eastbound on all roadways” Tuesday afternoon as people continue to evacuate in advance of Hurricane Milton.
Hurricane Milton will make landfall on Wednesday
“For those wishing to evacuate, the time is now,” the agency said in a statement. “Otherwise, finalize your storm preparations now.”
Troopers were continuing to escort fuel tankers to assist with delivery of gasoline Tuesday. All bridges in the Tampa Bay area will close when wind speeds are consistently at 45 mph or higher, or when troopers deem road conditions a danger to public safety.