Disney cruise ship rescues four people from sinking catamaran

A new Disney cruise ship has rescued four people from a sinking catamaran more than 200 miles from Bermuda.

The small boat started to flood on 10 November, causing the passengers to launch a distress call to the US Coast Guard, which then issued an emergency of its own.

The closest vessel was the Disney Treasure, which was travelling from Europe to the US to prepare for its maiden voyage and was 80 miles away when it responded.

It launched a small boat and rescued all four passengers.

The small catamaran, called the Serenity, began to fill with water after suffering a failure on the seal around its escape hatch, ABC News reported.

Catamarans consist of two parallel hulls connected by a single deck, and range from lightweight boats used in Olympic sailing, to huge passenger ferries.

The Serenity only measured 15m in length.

The 340m Disney Treasure was crossing the Atlantic from Europe, where it was constructed, to Florida, where it will embark on its maiden voyage in December.

It will become the sixth passenger liner in the company's cruise fleet.

"We are pleased that the Disney Treasure was able to provide aid to the boat passengers in peril," Disney Treasure Captain Marco Nogara told ABC News.

"Our crew members worked together on the rescue, skilfully demonstrating their training and commitment to safety," he added.