The crew of AIDAluna played a vital role in the successful rescue of several shipwrecked individuals found adrift in a life raft late Tuesday night, June 3, 2025, off the coast of Spitsbergen in the Arctic Circle. The rescue occurred around 11 p.m. when the German cruise ship AIDAluna spotted the survivors and swiftly sprang into action.

With the air temperature hovering just above freezing at 1°C (33.8°F) and water temperatures near 3°C (37.4°F), time was critical. According to onboard announcements, AIDAluna’s captain immediately halted the ship and assumed an emergency position while coordinating with local rescue authorities. A helicopter was dispatched to assess the scene.

Passengers aboard the cruise ship were notified of the situation as the vessel prepared for a possible launch of tender boats. Meanwhile, the ship’s medical team was placed on high alert, ready to provide emergency aid should the survivors be brought aboard.

Ultimately, the helicopter team was able to retrieve the individuals directly from the life raft. They were transported to a hospital in Longyearbyen, the main settlement in Norway’s remote Svalbard archipelago, for further medical evaluation.
The rescue briefly delayed AIDAluna’s itinerary, but passengers were informed that the ship would resume its course shortly after being released from its emergency holding position.