Missing passenger on board Carnival Cruise ship from New Orleans to Mexico is found ALIVE and rescued after falling overboard – more than 12 hours after he was last seen drinking with his sister in the bar
- The male passenger was found in the Gulf of Mexico by the US Coast Guard on Thanksgiving Day after going missing for more than 12 hours
- He was last seen at the bar with his sister before he left to use the restroom around 11pm on Wednesday and did not return
- His sister waited until noon the next day to report him missing
- Cruise was on way to Mexico from New Orleans, where the sea is about 62F
- He was found responsive and taken back to New Orleans for treatment
A missing Carnival Cruise passenger has been found alive in the Gulf of Mexico after falling overboard following a night of drinking.
The male passenger, whose identity has not been disclosed, was found in the ocean by the US Coast Guard on Thanksgiving Day after going missing for more than 12 hours on the journey from New Orleans to Cozumel, Mexico.
He was last seen at the Carnival Valor’s bar with his sister before he left to use the restroom at around 11pm Wednesday and did not return. His sister waited until noon the next day to report him missing, according to KPLC 7.
The ship was thoroughly searched, but he was nowhere to be found. Crews called the Coast Guard around 2.30pm.
The ship then began backtracking toward New Orleans to support the US Coast Guard, before returning on its path to Cozumel, Mexico.
The man was spotted by another vessel and picked up by helicopter. He was in a responsive state and taken back to New Orleans for treatment, USCG Petty Officer Ryan Graves told CNN.
The male passenger, who was not identified, was found in the Gulf of Mexico by the US Coast Guard on Thanksgiving Day after going missing from the Carnival Valor (pictured in September) for more than 12 hours. He was last seen at the bar with his sister before he left to use the restroom around 11pm and did not return. His sister waited until noon the next day to report him missing
It is unclear how long he spent in the sea. The temperature of the water near New Orleans is about 62 degrees.
Carnival provided support to his family while he was missing.
Mike Anderson, who was a passenger on the ship, said he saw cruise staff searching for the man and heard announcements about a missing person.
‘[I] noticed security starting to search the boat with a photo of the missing [passenger] in their phones,’ he told CNN.
Carnival told DailyMail.com in a statement on Friday: ‘We greatly appreciate the efforts of all, most especially the US Coast Guard and the mariner who spotted the guest in the water.’
The ship will sail to Yucatán, Mexico, before returning to the States on Monday.
The five-day cruise started in New Orleans before arriving in Cozumel by day three. The next day passengers visit another port before returning to Louisiana.
Earlier this year, a woman, 32, jumped overboard after breaking away from security.
Footage shows three security guards on the Carnival Valor holding the frantic woman’s arms behind her back. She was not handcuffed, despite prior claims from passengers.
She was heard screaming out the name ‘Alicia’ as the guards helped her up a flight of stairs and off of the pool deck after an alleged hot tub incident.
Shortly after being escorted off the deck, the 32-year-old woman allegedly broke free from the guards and jumped off the tenth floor of the ship and into the ocean.
Earlier this year, a woman, 32, (pictured) jumped overboard after breaking away from security
Shortly after being escorted off the deck, the 32-year-old woman allegedly broke free from the guards and jumped off the tenth floor of the ship and into the ocean. A passenger claimed they saw ‘blood and jerking motions’ after she went overboard
Her leap was not shown in the video, but passengers told Fox 8 that she hit the side of the boat before hitting the water face first.
Shocked passengers are seen rushing to the edge of ship as crew tossed life preservers and flares to mark her position in the water. The passengers claim the woman disappeared soon after.
A passenger claimed they saw ‘blood and jerking motions’ after she went overboard.
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk