The cruise ship Costa Deliziosa departed Malé on Wednesday evening after taking onboard 28 Italian nationals who were unable to return home due to disrupted flights.

According to information shared onboard the ship, Captain Severino Palomba confirmed that the passengers were accepted following a request from the Italian Consulate in Malé. The travelers had been stranded after scheduled flights were unable to operate due to the current situation affecting regional air travel.

The ship departed Malé at around 6:00 p.m. local time, with the additional passengers joining the voyage.

With commercial flights unavailable, the Italians were offered transportation onboard the cruise ship, allowing them to leave the Maldives. Passengers onboard described the decision as a humanitarian gesture coordinated between the ship and Italian diplomatic officials.

Costa Deliziosa is currently operating a segment of its global cruise itinerary, which includes stops across the Indian Ocean and southern Africa. After departing the Maldives, the ship is expected to continue toward ports in the region before arriving in Cape Town on March 18.