Royal Caribbean transports 261 evacuees from Freeport

FREEPORT, Bhs (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas acted as a rescue ship this morning in the Bahamas. 

A total of 261 Freeport residents boarded the ship, leaving their week-long nightmare on Grand Bahama Island. 

Many are seeking medical attention in Nassau where the ship will head later Saturday. The facilities they need simply aren't left in Freeport. 

Most of the evacuees were in good health and many told us the flooding and lack of supplies were the biggest issues facing Freeport. 

While they've seen the damage in the Abaco Islands, they're concerned that Freeport has a much larger population and may not return to normalcy anytime soon. 

"We can't even think of normalcy. We need basic supplies and I worry about the mental health of many residents," said Bishop Sydney McIntosh. 

The Bishop rode out the storm in his elevated church which he's now turned into a shelter for 40 desperate residents.