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Cruise passenger who fell overboard tells how he survived 15 hours in the water and battled ‘sea creature’

A coast guard rescuer who saved mr grimes estimated the man had at most a minute left before he succumbed to the waves when they found him, article bookmarked.

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James Michael Grimes’ Thanksgiving was unorthodox.

After winning an air guitar contest, he toppled off the side of a cruise ship , battled a "sea creature," treaded water for more than half a day, and survived on bamboo — or maybe just some kind of stick — until the Coast Guard picked him up the next day.

And, according to him, though alcohol was consumed, it did not play a part in the chain of events.

Mr Grimes, 28, survived a harrowing 15 hours at sea that could have turned tragic had he not managed to keep himself afloat while waves washed over him in the Gulf of Mexico .

Mr Grimes and his sister were on a Carnival cruise ship departing from New Orleans and bound for Cozumel, Mexico on 23 November. At some point that evening, Mr Grimes’ sister noticed he had left to use the restroom and had not returned. After failing to return the following day, she reported him missing and, a few hours later, the Coast Guard was notified that the man had vanished.

According to Mr Grimes, who gave an interview to ABC News’ Good Morning America about his ordeal, that night he had just won an air guitar competition in one of the ship’s lounges and had hit the bar to celebrate.

He said he did not have "tons" of drinks and that he "couldn’t really say" how much booze he had actually consumed, but assured the interviewer he was not drunk at the time.

Whatever the case, the next thing he remembers is floating around in the Gulf of Mexico without a ship in sight.

He treaded water for hours, noting during the interview that he was terrified of drowning and was desperate to see his family again.

"I wanted to see my family and I was dead set on making it out of there, you know. I was never accepting that this is it. This is going to be the end of my life," he said during the interview.

As he fought to stay above the waves, Mr Grimes claims he had an encounter with a "sea creature" that he initially worried could have been a shark. He claims the creature had a fin and bumped his leg, spooking him to the point where he felt the need to kick at the animal.

"I thought it was a shark. I mean, I was swimming in one direction and looked around I seen it out the corner of my eye and it came up on me really quick and went under and I could see it and it wasn’t a shark," he said.

He saw the fish had a "flat mouth" just before it bumped him, prompting him to kick at it.

Mr Grimes had nothing to eat or drink for the duration of his time floating in the Gulf. That’s why when a stick that he says "looked like bamboo" floated by him he scooped it up and began chewing on it. Though he has no idea if it provided any nutritional value, he did note that it at least provided the comfort of tasting something other than salt water.

He began to worry as night fell — the water’s temperature cooled, and his body was running out of energy — but he says he remained positive, believing he had survived for a reason.

"You know, the fall didn’t kill me, you know, sea creatures didn’t eat me, I felt like I was meant to get out of there," he said.

And he did; he was eventually spotted by a passing tanker, which notified the US Coast Guard rescuers. The Coast Guard units arrived on scene and, according to one rescuer, likely found Mr Grimes just in time.

Richard Hoefle, a US Coast Guard Aviation Survival Technician, told 4WWL News that Mr Grimes was "at his limit" when they found him.

"Some people break down and cry, some people are in shock, and they don’t know what’s going on, some people are ecstatic and they act a little crazy because they are so happy to be out of the situation that they’re in," Mr Hoefle said, describing typical reactions of individuals who are rescued. "Mr Grimes had nothing left. He had no energy. He had nothing left to give. My best guess is that he had between a minute and 30 seconds left before we lost him completely."

Mr Grimes said he recalled being secured by Mr Hoefle and remembers "just thinking ‘thank you, you are like a guardian angel.’"

The Coast Guard transported Mr Grimes to a hospital in New Orleans. He was treated for hypothermia and dehydration, and has since been released.

Mr Grimes told Good Morning America that the experience "opened my eyes" and taught him to be mindful of that which he takes for granted. It also left him lacking a proper cruise experience.

"I definitely would be open to go on another cruise," he said, "because I really didn’t get to go on this one."

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Video shows the rescue of an overboard cruise-ship passenger who survived 20 hours fighting jellyfish and eating bamboo

• A 28-year-old passenger on a Carnival cruise ship fell overboard and survived 20 hours of treading water .
• The US Coast Guard rescued him via helicopter the night of November 24, calling it a "Thanksgiving miracle."
• Watch video footage of the man spotted waving his arms in the water, then lifted by helicopter.

A man who fell overboard from a Carnival cruise ship lived to tell the tale, after a US Coast Guard helicopter rescued him off the coast of New Orleans on Thanksgiving evening.

James Michael Grimes, age 28, survived nearly 20 hours treading water in the Gulf of Mexico. He told  ABC's "Good Morning America" that he ate bamboo driftwood, avoided jellyfish, and fought off an unidentified large fish with a fin. According to ABC, he was in an area known to be a feeding ground for sharks.

"My worst fear is drowning," Grimes told ABC. "I was dead set on making it out of there, you know. I was never accepting that this is it, this is going to be the end of my life."

The Coast Guard shared video of the rescue, below, including footage of Grimes floundering in the sea and waving his arms.

The Coast Guard rescuer who pulled him from the water, Richard Clark Hoefle, said that when he reached Grimes, the overboard man immediately collapsed into the rescue swing.

"He had nothing left," Hoefle told ABC.

"This is an exceptionally rare case," Ryan Graves, a petty officer in public affairs with the 8th District, told The Washington Post shortly after the rescue. "It's really nothing short of a Thanksgiving miracle to be able to pick somebody up after that long in the water without any sort of flotation device."

Grimes told ABC that he does not remember falling overboard. He said he went to the bathroom, then regained consciousness at sea, "with no boat in sight."

"Cruise ships have safety barriers in all public areas that are regulated by US Coast Guard standards and prevent a guest from falling off," Matt Lupoli, a public relations officer for Carnival Cruise Line, told Insider via email.

"Guests should never climb up on the rails. The only way to go overboard is to purposefully climb up and over the safety barriers," Lupoli added.

Grimes was lucky to survive, and lucky to be found

Grimes was last seen aboard the Carnival Valor at 11 p.m. local time on November 23, when he left his sister at the ship's bar to go to the restroom, according to a statement from Carnival.

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At noon the following day — Thanksgiving — the sister reported him missing, since he hadn't returned to his stateroom, according to the statement. Announcements calling for the missing passenger rang out across the ship, and staff searched the vessel for him, until a last call was made at 2 p.m., according to CNN . At 2:30 p.m., the ship reported the missing passenger to the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard said it deployed "several rescue crews," and Carnival said the Valor "retraced its route to support the search and rescue."

Meanwhile, a bulk carrier called CRINIS was scanning the sea and spotted somebody drifting in the waters about 20 miles south of Southwest Pass, Louisiana, according the CNN. It was Grimes.

Finally, at 8:25 p.m. — nearly 22 hours after he was last seen — a helicopter lifted Grimes from the sea. Lieutenant Seth Gross, a Coast Guard search-and-rescue coordinator, told CNN that Grimes "was showing signs of hypothermia, shock, dehydration," but could walk, communicate, and identify himself.

"The fact that he was able to keep himself afloat and above the surface of the water for such an extended period of time, it's just something you can't take for granted and certainly something that'll stick with me forever," Gross told CNN.

"This case is unlike anything I've been a part of," he added.

This story has been updated with new information. It was originally published on November 25, 2022.

Watch: The rise and fall of the cruise industry

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Man Who Fell Off Carnival Ship Could Have Been in Water for 15 Hours: 'Thanksgiving Miracle'

The passenger was reported missing by his sister around midday Thursday before the Coast Guard and neighboring vessels spotted him in the water hours later

The man who fell overboard from the Carnival ship Valor on Thursday and who was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard could have been in the water for as long as 15 hours, authorities have confirmed.

"We greatly appreciate the efforts of all, most especially the U.S. Coast Guard and the mariner who spotted the guest in the water," Matt Lupoli, Carnival's senior manager of public relations told PEOPLE Friday.

The missing passenger, who has not been identified, had been last seen on Wednesday night at approximately 11 p.m., according to CNN , as the ship sailed in the Gulf of Mexico from New Orleans, Louisiana, toward Cozumel, Mexico.

U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Ryan Graves told CNN Thursday that the passenger "was found responsive at the time of rescue and was transferred to awaiting emergency medical personnel at New Orleans Lakefront Airport."

Lt. Seth Gross, a search and rescue coordinator for the Coast Guard said the man could have been in the water for as long as 15 hours, "the absolute longest that I've heard about — and just one of those Thanksgiving miracles," he said.

The USCG did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for additional comment.

The man's sister reported him missing around noon on Thursday, per CNN, and the Coast Guard was alerted to the potential of a person overboard at around 2:30 p.m., while the Valor turned back to aid in the search.

After multiple crews searched for the man, he was spotted by a mariner and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew "hoisted the man onto the helicopter," Coast Guard Lt. Phillip VanderWeit said in a statement.

Guests told CNN that they did not know at the time that a fellow passenger had gone overboard.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE 's free weekly newsletter to get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.

Passenger Mike Anderson told the outlet that the ship's guests were told there would be a delay in arriving in Mexico. A public address announcement later informed them that a man had gone overboard but the ship had been released from the search and was now able to resume its course for Cozumel.

In February, a 32-year-old female passenger on the Valor fell into the water, about 150 miles off the coast of Louisiana.

Passengers at the time had reported that she had hit the side of the boat before falling in the water. The Coast Guard later called off the search for the woman.

The incident occurred as the cruise ship was on its way back to New Orleans following a five-day trip to Mexico, according to Carnival.

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A Man Fell From a Cruise Ship. And Survived.

He treaded water for hours in the Gulf of Mexico, withstanding rain, winds and waves before he was rescued. Others have not been so lucky. What happens when a person goes overboard?

By Maria Cramer

The Carnival Valor had been at sea for only a day when calls came over the loudspeaker asking a certain passenger to please report to customer service.

The man, a 28-year-old American citizen, had been reported missing by his family that morning.

It was Thanksgiving, and the Valor, a 3,756-passenger cruise ship that had left New Orleans the day before, was heading toward Cozumel, Mexico.

Crew members soon began searching passengers’ cabins, said Shant’a Miller White, who was traveling with her husband and family. One employee entered her cousin’s cabin and said, “We just need to make sure everything is OK.”

“We didn’t know what was going on,” Ms. White, 48, recalled. Then, at dinner, came another announcement: The ship needed to change course to execute a search and rescue operation.

Ms. White pictured the unknown passenger alone in the water and felt sick to her stomach.

“Did they fall to the bottom? Did the sharks get them?” Ms. White recalled thinking. She began to pray.

The passenger, according to the Coast Guard, turned out to be James Grimes, 28, who had been traveling with his parents and siblings on the five-day cruise. His family had last seen him the night before, around 11 p.m.

But by 10:45 on Thanksgiving morning, when there was no sign of him, the family notified the crew, the Coast Guard said.

At 8:10 p.m., more than nine hours after his family reported him missing, a passing tanker spotted the man near the mouth of the Mississippi River and alerted the Coast Guard.

Rescuers found Mr. Grimes struggling in the water, waving frantically and trying to keep his head above the surface.

When the crew of the MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter lifted him out, he was in shock, had mild hypothermia and was extremely dehydrated, said Lt. Seth Gross, who managed the search and rescue operation for the Coast Guard. But he was alive and in stable condition.

Mr. Grimes, whose family described him as an exceptional swimmer, had treaded in 65- to 70-degree water for hours, withstanding rain, 20-knot winds and three- to five-foot waves in the Gulf of Mexico, where bull sharks and blacktip sharks are common, Coast Guard officials said.

“This case is certainly extraordinary,” Lieutenant Gross said. “The survival instinct, the will to survive is just crazy.”

How often does this happen?

Falling from a ship into a vast sea may be a cruise passenger’s worst nightmare. While the chances of going overboard are exceedingly remote, according to statistics from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) , the outcome is usually tragic.

In 2019, 25 people fell overboard, and only nine of them were rescued, according to CLIA.

In February, a woman aboard the Carnival Valor jumped off the 10th deck of the ship while fleeing security officers who were trying to detain her after she had scuffled with them. Her body was never found.

In December 2016, a 22-year-old man fell off the 12th deck of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship after a night of heavy drinking. His parents sued the cruise line in federal court in Florida, but a jury decided in favor of Royal Caribbean.

Alcohol is a factor in at least 11 percent of falls from cruise ships, which often offer all-inclusive drink packages that encourage drinking onboard, said Ross Klein, a professor of social work at Memorial University of Newfoundland, who researches cruise safety.

“Cruises are viewed as idyllic, safe and secure, and of course those views are reinforced by advertising and public statements,” he said. But the public should be aware of the risks of going on a cruise, which include being pushed overboard, going overboard and being tempted to jump overboard, he said.

How do ships prevent people from going overboard?

By law, railings have to be 42 inches tall, Professor Klein said. There were efforts to make the railings taller by about another foot, he said, after Congress began considering legislation to tighten security on ships in 2005. But in 2010, when Congress passed the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act, the railing height requirements were set at the current standard, he said.

The railing height is designed to keep passengers safe along ship promenades, said Brian Salerno, the senior vice president for Maritime policy at CLIA.

“The vast majority of cases are either reckless behavior or some form of intentional act,” Mr. Salerno said. “People don’t just inadvertently fall over the side of a ship.”

Professor Klein said cruise ships could limit the risks of passengers falling overboard if they limited alcohol consumption, increased railing heights and installed technology that senses when a heavy object has fallen from the ship.

The 2010 law directed cruise ships to begin developing and installing such technology, Mr. Salerno said.

It took years to create a video-surveillance system that would be sensitive enough to detect a person falling overboard and alarm a ship’s crew but that wouldn’t be triggered by other objects, like a sea gull flying by, he said. Some ships have already begun installing such systems, Mr. Salerno said.

Bartenders on cruises are also trained to watch for excessive drinking, said Robert Kritzman, a partner at Clyde & Co., an international law firm in Miami, who advises cruise companies.

“The general policy is the same as anywhere else: Once somebody becomes excessively intoxicated, you stop serving,” he said.

Carnival Corp. said the “only way to go overboard is to purposefully climb up and over the safety barriers.”

“Cruise ships have safety barriers in all public areas that are regulated by U.S. Coast Guard standards that prevent a guest from falling off,” the company said in a statement that thanked the Coast Guard and the mariner who found Mr. Grimes. “Guests should never ever climb up on the rails.”

A spokesman did not respond to follow up questions about the incident or Carnival’s safety protocols.

What happens when the crew learns that a person has gone overboard?

Cruise ships have clear protocols for what to do when a person goes overboard, Mr. Kritzman said.

Once the crew members learn that a person has gone overboard, they immediately inform the Coast Guard, stop the ship and turn around to help find the missing passenger. Often, smaller, fast boats are deployed from the ship to search for the person, Mr. Kritzman said.

The circumstances around the recent fall from the Carnival Valor, including the precise time that Mr. Grimes went overboard, remain unknown. The Coast Guard said it was investigating the incident.

Lieutenant Gross said that after the Coast Guard learned about the missing passenger, it launched a 45-foot patrol boat, a helicopter and a tracker plane to search for him. The Coast Guard set up a search area of more than 7,000 square nautical miles, roughly the size of Massachusetts, he said, and immediately alerted any mariners around the Gulf of Mexico to look for the man.

The Crinis , a bulk carrier, spotted Mr. Grimes about 20 miles south of Southwest Pass, a channel at the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Lt. Gross said he called the man’s mother and stepfather to tell them he had been found.

When he told them their son was stable and being treated at a hospital in New Orleans, he heard them cheer and cry.

Ms. White, who lives in Hampton, Va., and runs an anti-bullying organization , said she was flooded with relief when the ship announced that Mr. Grimes had been found alive.

“That was nothing but God that he survived,” she said.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places for a Changed World for 2022.

Maria Cramer is a reporter on the Travel desk. Please send her tips, questions and complaints about traveling, especially on cruises. More about Maria Cramer

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Man who fell off cruise ship and treaded water for almost an entire day: 'it was a 20-hour baptism'.

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It’s two days ago, and he sounds strong and thankful. “I spent four days in the ICU and I’m still sore, but I’m OK,” he tells me. “Treading water for 20 hours wore me out a bit,” he says, chuckling. I shake my head, trying to come to grips with the most amazing, heart-stopping story I’ve ever written.

I’m about to hang up the phone after talking with James Michael Grimes. “It was a 20-hour Baptism,” he tells me. “Now, I know that the Lord kept me alive for a purpose,” he adds. “I just need to figure what that purpose is.”

It’s the day before Thanksgiving, and James Michael’s heart is racing. It’s racing with excitement, for this is going to be the trip of a lifetime. The family has driven from Valley, Alabama, to New Orleans to board the Carnival Valor. James Michael walks across the gangway, admiring the enormity of his vessel.

It’s 8:15 p.m. on Thanksgiving eve, and James Michael joins some of his 18 family members for dinner aboard the ship. It’s almost overwhelming, as food and drinks are everywhere. James Michael has a few beers, enjoys his dinner and suggests that he and a few family members go listen to some live music. “Why not enter the air guitar competition?” James Michael asks himself.

It’s 10:35 p.m. on Thanksgiving eve, and James Michael takes in the applause. He’s just won the competition, and he wins a free drink from the bar. James Michael high-fives his cousins, for this is going to be a trip to remember. Or a Thanksgiving to forget.

It’s just past midnight, and he regains consciousness. He coughs up water, looking in all directions into the dark. He’s in the Gulf Of Mexico, alone. He wonders how he got there.

James Michael Grimes is treading water, looking for land, looking for light. He can’t hear out of his left ear-- he wonders how in the world he fell into the ocean from the sixth floor of a cruise liner. “That can’t be,” he thinks to himself. “I wouldn’t be alive.” He wonders where the ship went.

James Michael strips off his clothes, leaving only his boxers and shorts. He sees a tiny light off in the distance. “Maybe that’s my ship,” he thinks. He starts to swim in the direction of the light until the light disappears.

It’s 3 a.m., and James Michael has been in the water for three hours. “You can do this,” James tells himself. “You’ve always been a good swimmer.” He swims into a smack of jellyfish. He feels stings on his back, his legs and his neck while peeling them off his skin.

It’s just after 6 a.m., and James Michael welcomes the rising sun as he’s been in the water for six hours. He spots a single light off in the distance and prays that it’s an oil rig platform. He swims toward the light, for the platform will certainly save his life.

A storm seems to be brewing. In a strange kind of way, swimming seems to be less demanding than treading water. But when the storm approaches and the waves get higher? James Michael is pushed further from the single light. The waters calm, but the light has disappeared.

It’s 10:15 a.m., and James Michael Grimes has been in the water for over 10 hours. He thinks of his daughter Annabeth, he thinks of God, he thinks if he might soon be going to Heaven. He spots three dim lights that look to be miles away. James Michael starts swimming toward the lights, for it must be the oil rig platform that will save his life. The sun splashes onto his face as he gets within 300 yards of the platform. “This is it,” James thinks to himself. “I’m going to live.” Suddenly, James Michael finds himself off course. The waves grow higher and the tide turns, pushing him far left of the lights, which grow smaller.

It’s well past noon, and James Michael Grimes has been in the water for almost 13 hours. He feels a bump on his leg and he’s fearing the worst. It’s not a shark, but something very big with a flat head. He screams the fish away while a second smack of jellyfish latch onto his limbs.

James Michael has decided to give in to the waves. He’s less tired when he swims in their direction, riding atop the waves. A stick floats by. James Michael eats it like a Slim Jim. The taste is tolerable- he needs nutrition.

It’s 3 p.m., and James Michael Grimes has been in the water for 15 hours. He needs fluids, and he decides to drink some seawater. James takes three sips and vomits. He wonders how much longer he can stay afloat.

James Michael’s heart jumps as it’s coming his way. A huge cruise ship, the ship that he dreamed would rescue him. James Michael yells and flails and waves, exhausting himself. The cruise ship floats by and grows smaller – James Michael is crying.

It’s 8 p.m., and James Michael Grimes has been in the water for 20 hours. His heart jumps as he sees a cargo ship coming his way. James Michael feebly swims toward the ship, getting close enough to see the shapes of humans on the balcony. He yells and flails and waves, exhausting himself.

“Help,” James Michael yells. A voice cascades upon him, “Where are you?” comes the voice. “I’m in the water,” James Michael screams. A group of people on the cargo ship throw James Michael life rings. They come nowhere near him. “The Coast Guard has been looking for you since your family alerted them,” comes the voice. “If you can hang on for 15 minutes, they will be here to rescue you!”

James Michael floats on his back, his body at ease. “What’s 15 minutes when I’ve been treading water for 20 hours?” he thinks.

The helicopter circles the cargo ship three times as James waves his arms. “This can’t be,” James Michael thinks. Suddenly the spotlight finds him. “We’ve got him,” the voice yells.

It’s 8:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving, and James Michael Grimes had been out of the water for 30 minutes. Poor weather prevents the chopper from landing at a hospital, so James Michael is flown to the airport in New Orleans. He’s rushed to a hospital by ambulance as first responders shake their heads in amazement.

James Michael is about to spend four days in the ICU, thanking the Lord that he will live.

It’s two days ago, and I ask James Michael how he survived after spending 20 hours in the water. “I figured after spending about six hours in the water, I might as well make it another six, and then another six,” he says. “I think my will to live was strong enough to save me,” he says. “I believe I had about two more hours in the ocean before I went under,” he adds.

James Michael Grimes is back in Valley, Alabama, this week, still trying to figure it all out. “The Lord was with me all the way,” James Michael tells me. “In a way, it was a 20-hour Baptism that drew me closer to God. I know that God saved me for a reason, and now I have to abide by His plan,” he says.

After the most amazing, heart-stopping and frightening adventure anyone can imagine, James Michael Grimes is back home. And as he goes forward, James Michael is making plans of his own.

“Will you ever go on another cruise ship?” I ask him.

“I sure will,” says James Michael.

“And the next time, I plan on staying onboard.”

Search suspended for man who fell overboard from Carnival cruise ship near Florida

Ronnie Peale Jr., 35, fell over his balcony railing on Monday, Carnival said.

The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for a Virginia man who fell from a cruise ship balcony earlier this week.

Ronnie Peale Jr., 35, went overboard from a Carnival Magic cruise ship traveling off the coast of Florida on Monday, the Coast Guard said.

After searching more than 5,171 square miles over the course of 60 hours, the Coast Guard said Wednesday night that it has suspended search efforts for Peale.

MORE: Search suspended for 4 people missing after Alaskan charter boat sinks: Coast Guard

"The decision to suspend the active search efforts pending further development is never one we take lightly," Coast Guard District Seven search and rescue mission coordinator Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Hooper said in a statement . "We offer our most sincere condolences to Mr. Peale's family and friends."

Carnival Cruise Lines personnel contacted Coast Guard watchstanders at 6:36 p.m. on Monday to report that a passenger had fallen off the ship, which was 186 miles east of Jacksonville, the Coast Guard said.

Peale's companion reported him missing late Monday afternoon and "an initial review of closed circuit security footage confirms that he leaned over the railing of his stateroom balcony and dropped into the water at approximately 4:10 a.m. Monday," Carnival Cruise Line said in a statement to ABC News.

His partner, Jennilyn Blosser, told Richmond ABC affiliate WRIC that the footage showed him leaning over the railing and that it looks like he accidentally fell.

"It's not like he was like jumping, like you know, it wasn't like that at all," Blosser told the station.

MORE: US teen missing after going overboard on sunset cruise in the Bahamas

Blosser said she woke up at 11:30 a.m. that morning and spent hours trying to find Peale. His mother, Linda Peale, told WRIC she knew something was wrong when her son didn't call that day to check in on his dogs.

Peale, from New Hope, Virginia, was on his first cruise and was celebrating Blosser's birthday with her family, Linda Peale said.

She described her son as "full of life" and someone who loved old cars, gardening and cooking.

"My son was a wonderful man," Linda Peale told WRIC.

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Gripping video shows moment coast guard rescues man who had fallen off cruise ship.

Footage from the rescue of the cruise ship passenger last night. Can also be downloaded here: https://t.co/xk0pBnVr1E pic.twitter.com/GK1IXCKlgx — USCG Heartland (@USCGHeartland) November 25, 2022

Dramatic footage captured by the US Coast Guard shows the moment they rescued a cruise passenger who had been floating alone for over 15 hours in the Gulf of Mexico after he fell overboard .

The 28-year-old man was found 20 miles south of Louisiana’s Southwest Pass at about 8:25 p.m. Thursday night treading water after his sister reported him missing from a Cozumel, Mexico-bound Carnival Cruise ship. 

He was spotted by crews aboard the bulk carrier Crinis, according to USCG, who then called in a MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter for the rescue.

The pulse-pounding clip shows the desperate man frantically waving his arms toward the chopper as he struggles to hold his head above the waves, surrounded by complete darkness.

The grainy black and white clip appears to show a USCG member descending from the chopper into the water to hoist the man up to safety. Members of the rescue team can be heard speaking to each other, mostly inaudibly, over the radio.

“He’s halfway up,” one guardsman says as an illuminated figure approaches the aircraft via a rope.

This missing man, who has yet to be identified, was at Carnival Valor’s bar at 11 p.m. Wednesday night with his sister when he took a bathroom break and never came back, CNN reported .

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The sister didn’t report him missing to cruise officials until the following afternoon, forcing the cruise liner to retrace its path back to New Orleans. 

The Coast Guard was notified around 2:30 p.m. and immediately launched a search, scouring 200 miles of open ocean.

They located him about 6 hours later in 70-degree water, rescuers told the local station KPLC TV . 

After treading water for more than 15 hours, the passenger showed signs of hypothermia, shock and dehydration. He was transported to a New Orleans hospital, where Coast Guard officials said he is in stable condition.

The man told rescuers he wasn’t sure how he’d fallen overboard but confirmed he’d been on the cruise ship. It’s not exactly clear where or when he fell in.

Lt. Seth Gross of the US Coast Guard, referred to the rescue as “one of those Thanksgiving miracles,” adding that the man was able to survive as long as anyone he has ever heard about.

“I think it kind of blows the norm, the normalcy, out of the water here, and really just shows the will to live is something that you need to account for in every search-and-rescue case,” he told CNN.

Coast Guard searching for man who fell overboard from Carnival cruise ship near Florida

The Coast Guard is searching for a 35-year-old man who fell overboard while on a Carnival cruise ship near Florida on Monday, according to a statement .

The man was a passenger on the Carnival Magic cruise ship, which was about 186 miles east of Jacksonville when he fell into the water.

Security footage shows he leaned over the railing of his room balcony and fell into the water around 4:10 a.m. on Monday, the cruise corporation said in a statement.

He was reported missing by his companion late Monday afternoon.

Officials have not released any identifying information about the man other than his age.

The cruise ship was released by the Coast Guard from search and rescue efforts and will continue its way to Norfolk, Virginia, where it's scheduled to arrive Tuesday.

"The Carnival Care Team is providing support to the guest’s companion and traveling party who are on board," Carnival said.

The Coast Guard is using air and water assets to search for the passenger.

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• Travel Updates

Dad-of-three who went overboard cruise ship is identified - as his brother reveals his sad final act

A man who went overboard on a cruise ship last week has been identified, as his brother revealed what happened before the tragedy.

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A father-of-three who was pulled from the water after going overboard a cruise ship last week has been identified, with his brother claiming he had racked up a $4000 casino debt on board.

P&O’s Pacific Adventure was due to dock in Sydney Harbour at 6am on Monday, May 6 at the end of a three-day Elvis-themed cruise, but Shane Dixon, 50, went overboard in the early hours.

The ship remained in the waters just off the city’s eastern suburbs while a huge search was underway and a man’s body was retrieved from the water at 10.30am, 10 nautical miles off Sydney Heads.

His brother spoke to Daily Mail Australia saying their mother was “devastated” and “broken”.

“She has already buried one son and now she has to bury another one,” Scott Dixon said.

Scott said his brother was going through a rough time and had spent $5000 at the cruise’s casino on the Friday, and then after borrowing money from the family to repay the debt, spent another $4000 the following night.

“His brain was probably going 100 miles an hour. He probably thought, ‘s***, I’ve done it again. I can’t afford it and I can’t ask mum for more money,’’ Scott said.

A spokeswoman for P&O Australia said they won’t be commenting on the claims due to the coroner’s investigation that is underway.

P&O’s Pacific Adventure had been hosting an Elvis-themed voyage called ‘Tribute to The King’, promising a long weekend of “themed parties, karaoke, trivia and much more”.

One passenger on board the ship, Kel, said that when the alarm sounded on board she lept out of bed.

“We jumped out of bed so fast,” she wrote.

“Was hectic! Been circling in the same spot for over 5hrs now.”

P&O’s Pacific Adventure was cleared by NSW Police to return to port shortly before midday.

In a statement P&O Australia said: “We thank guests for their care, understanding and patience on what’s been a distressing day for guests and crew.

“Our thoughts are with the family of the guest at this difficult time.”

The Carnival Cruise ship Carnival Splendor was also at sea during the search despite being due in port that morning.

It is understood that Splendor had been on standby to assist in the search.

A passenger, who asked not to named, told news.com.au that the situation at sea was “scary”.

“We’re docked out at sea and aren’t allowed in yet due to the search and rescue,” he said before 8am on Monday, May 6.

“An announcement came out for us at 7am saying that an emergency rescue operation was being conducted and we weren’t allowed to enter the channel into the harbour.

“We are maybe 20km out from land and will stay here until we get permission to head back in.”

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Another passenger on board Splendor, who goes by @auscruisecouple on TikTok, shared a selfie of the conditions.

“We have been offshore since about 4 o’clock this morning unable to dock due to an emergency situation,” she said.

“We are witnessing the helicopter searching and search and rescue boats as well … it is as you can see, quite choppy.”

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Watch CBS News

U.S. Coast Guard suspends search for man who fell off cruise ship that departed from Baltimore

By CBS Baltimore Staff

December 25, 2023 / 4:13 PM EST / CBS Baltimore

BALTIMORE -- The U.S. Coast Guard on Christmas Eve suspended its search for a 41-year-old man who fell off a ship belonging to a cruise line that departed from Baltimore.

#FinalUpdate : The @USCG has suspended the search efforts for the missing cruise ship passenger 127 mi east of #Charleston . Coast Guard crews searched more than 1,625 square miles and 8 hours. Anyone with new information is asked to call @USCG Sector Charleston: 843-740-7050 — USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) December 25, 2023

The man had been traveling on a Vision of the Seas cruise ship when he fell overboard on Saturday, according to a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean International.

The ship was about 127 miles east of Charleston, South Carolina, when the incident happened, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The U.S. Coast Guard's aircrews searched more than 1,625 square miles over the span of about eight hours, U.S. Coast Guard officials said.

"The ship and crew immediately reported the incident to local authorities and launched a search and rescue mission," the spokesperson said on Sunday. "Out of privacy for the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share."

The spokesperson did not confirm or deny whether the passenger was presumed to be dead.

• United States Coast Guard

The CBS Baltimore Staff is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on CBSBaltimore.com.

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Why falling off a cruise ship is so deadly

A 35-year-old Australian man who fell overboard on his way back to Brisbane. A Louisiana teen who jumped ship on a dare. A 7-year-old boy who died after falling into the ocean, followed by his mother, who tried to save him.

Overboard incidents on cruise ships are incredibly rare. But when they happen, they usually end in death, experts say.

The Coast Guard said last week it had given up on its search for 30-year-old Jaylen Hill, who went overboard during a four-day Carnival Cruise trip from Florida to the Bahamas. It searched more than 1,300 square miles for him.

“We offer our deepest condolences to the Hill family,” the Coast Guard said on Twitter.

Hill was reported missing by a travel companion hours after he was last seen. Experts say such time gaps between a fall and the start of a search are a big part of why overboard incidents are so deadly.

Even if crew members are immediately aware of the incident, it takes the average ship at least a mile to turn around. The ship usually dispatches life boats and alerts authorities, such as the Coast Guard, which may not be close enough to assist, said Ross Klein, a cruise industry researcher and retired professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland. In many cases, ships are not aware that someone has gone overboard until a travel partner reports them missing, which could be hours or days later.

By then, it’s often too late.

“It’s a huge ocean. Just being found at all would be incredible,” Klein said. “The longer you are out there, whether you’re alive or not, the lower the possibility of being recovered. The vast majority of people are gone forever.”

Even in cases where a fall is noticed immediately, a lot can go wrong.

“The fall itself can kill you, a cruise ship engine can suck you underneath the water, fear and anxiety or intoxication could prevent you from swimming — there’s many different scenarios,” said Brett Rivkind, a Miami lawyer who specializes in maritime law and represents families in overboard cases. A person can also become unconscious from hypothermia in as little as 15 minutes , depending on sea temperatures.

At least 386 people were reported to have gone overboard, voluntarily or by accident, from 2000 to 2020, according to data Klein compiled. He began tracking overboard cases in 1995 using media reports, tips, information requests and other methods, later serving as an expert witness before Congress.

“People overboard was an area that hadn’t been studied, and, really, there was no data,” he said. “Even within the industry, they said back in 2012 and 2013 before Congress that they don’t keep track of this.”

While it’s true that tens of millions of people vacation on cruise ships every year without incident, experts say a combination of mitigatable risks and loose safety regulations are contributing to deaths.

In a 2020 study , a professor examined more than 620 cruise deaths from 2000 through the end of 2019. He found that overboard incidents — falling, jumping or being thrown — were the leading cause of death among passengers and crew members, accounting for 23 percent of all deaths.

“It’s a lot more common than people think,” said the professor, Travis Heggie, who tracks tourist deaths around the world at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

Death rates for overboard incidents vary significantly among cruise lines, according to Klein’s calculations, which he said proves more can be done to protect passengers.

Only a handful of cruise lines have installed man-overboard systems, which use sensors or other technology to immediately detect when a person has fallen or jumped off the vessel, Klein said. (The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010 requires vessels to “integrate technology” for detecting falls overboard “to the extent that such technology is available,” and some operators have argued that existing technology is not reliable enough yet.)

The safest cruise lines were able to rescue only 40 percent of overboard passengers, and most save far fewer, he said. The rescue rate was as low as 6 percent on at least one cruise line.

7 facts about the world's biggest cruise ship

The amount of alcohol being served on cruise ships is also a concern cited by several experts, who said passengers are being overserved. Alcohol is involved in up to 60 percent of overboard cases, according to Klein, and alcoholic drinks have become one of the leading sources of onboard revenue for cruise lines in recent years.

“Cruise lines make a lot of money serving alcohol,” Rivkind said, “and what they’ve done over the years is, they’ve moved to all-you-can-drink policies. They often allow them to drink as many as 15 alcoholic beverages a day. To me, that’s a big source of the problem.”

Defenders of the industry often characterize cruise ships as a microcosm of a city, with the same problems that come up on land. But Heggie and others disagree.

“Nobody is saying 23 percent of hotel client deaths are from falling off balconies,” he said.

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Search update for missing Brit who fell 100ft from cruise ship on week-long voyage

The search for the missing person has been extended because authorities believe they could still be alive in the water..

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The search for a British individual who tragically fell 100ft from a cruise ship into the Adriatic Sea has been extended by authorities.

Croatian officials have reported that "a young Brit" aboard the Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas vanished in the early hours of Friday and has not been seen since. Due to the warm water temperature, rescuers racing against time have lengthened the search period by an additional 12 hours.

Local authorities stated: "The man fell into the sea from a height of more than 30 meters, maybe there was an injury during the fall. Since the temperature of the sea is 24 degrees, this allows us to extend the search to at least 12 hours and more.

"Survival in these conditions is more than 12 hours , and the search takes twice as long, at least 24 hours," according to The Sun.

At this point, it remains uncertain whether the missing tourist is male or female, although unconfirmed reports from The Sun suggest it's a man.

It's thought that the Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas is on a seven-day Greece-Croatia route, having set sail on Saturday, August 3.

A search and rescue operation continues near the remote island of Jabuka. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has confirmed they are aware of reports of a person overboard and are liaising with the cruise company, reports  the Mirror .

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Death of man found by cruise ship remains unexplained

The discovery of a man's body in the English Channel off the Devon coast remains "unexplained", according to detectives.

The body of Cyrille Douchin, 29, who had been living on the Isle of Sark, was found by a cruise ship about 46 miles (74km) off the coast on 23 September, 2021.

It is believed he might have entered the water off Sark on, or shortly after, 25 August 2021, possibly in a kayak or similar craft.

Investigating officers are now appealing for information about his final movements, including identifying a person on Sark who found a bike believed to have been used by Mr Douchin, which was found abandoned at Creux Harbour.

Initially, attempts to identify the body, which was taken to Southampton, proved unsuccessful.

But with the help of oceanographers, forensic experts and Interpol, a breakthrough was made in early 2024, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, the investigating force, said.

At the time of his death, Mr Douchin had been wearing a full black wetsuit, including boots and gloves.

A spokesperson for the force said: "We would like to hear from anyone on Sark or Guernsey who spoke to or interacted with Mr Douchin, especially in August 2021, who may have information about his intentions to leave Sark or go out on the water.

"Our team are also looking to particularly speak with the person on Sark who located a Dawes mountain bike, believed to have been used by Mr Douchin and which was found abandoned at Creux Harbour in early September 2021."

Follow BBC Guernsey on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook . Send your story ideas to [email protected] .

Bonus £5K for police over ongoing staff shortages

Guernsey police under pressure to release footage, police recruitment campaign event organised, hampshire and isle of wight constabulary.

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Man buys historic 1950s cruise ship on Craigslist complete with 85 cabins and pool

Chris willson bought a 2,496 gross ton ship after spotting it on craigslist in 2008 - and he's been working hard to restore the vessel since, along with a team of volunteers..

Imagine snapping up an entire cruise ship from a Craigslist ad. Sounds like high seas fantasy, right? But for Chris Willson, it was a reality.

In 2008, he discovered a listing for the Aurora , a 2,496 gross ton ship, once a luxurious ocean liner of the 1950s, now in dire need of restoration.

The vessel, adorned with 85 cabins, dining areas, and a pool across her three decks , was about to become his biggest project.

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Fast forward, and the Aurora is now a labor of love for Willson and his team of volunteers. They're channeling their efforts into the Aurora Restoration Project, aiming to revive the grandeur of this classic ship.

Currently a floating home for Willson and his partner, the dream is to transform the vessel into a museum.

If you can't see the video, click here

Chris enthusiastically outlines his mission on the project's YouTube channel: "She's called The Aurora - a classic cruise ship that's going to take a lot of TLC to whip her back into shape, and I'm the guy that's going to do it," Willson declares. "My name is Chris Willson and I took on the project of a lifetime when I found the Aurora. She has hundreds of jobs that need to be tackled and we're going to do them all right."

While retired cruise ships typically meet their end in eerie maritime graveyards, Willson's last-minute purchase has given the Aurora a new lease on lifea remarkable turn not envisaged during his casual Craigslist browsing.

"I kind of posed as a potential buyer, even though I really didn't have any interest in purchasing a ship. It was a little out of my comfort level, to say the least," he shared with CNN Travel. But as he delved deeper, the ship began to pique his interest.

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For the ambitious transformation into a shoreside museum, he anticipates investing close to $3 million (about £2.4 million).

The visionary project can be tracked on Instagram and YouTube under the Aurora Restoration Project.

Meanwhile, one audacious couple has jumped on a comparable bandwagonexcept they've snapped up a £2 million ($2.64 million) cabin aboard a ship instead of the whole vessel.

Although Mike and Barbara had been on just four cruises previously, they brazenly invested in one of the residential cabins on the MV Narrative, planning to enjoy their golden years at sea.

This extraordinary cruise ship, the MV Narrative, diverges from the conventional model by not only offering vacations but also selling cabins and apartments for longer stays or as holiday homes. The company behind this venture, Storylines, is creating a ship l oaded with perks, including laundry service, a fitness center, 20 dining options, and more.

Excited for future journeys and new acquaintances, the couple eagerly awaits their life at sea with the MV Narrative, which, still under construction, is a few years away from its maiden voyage.

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Death of man found by cruise ship remains unexplained

The discovery of a man's body in the English Channel off the Devon coast remains "unexplained", according to detectives.

The body of Cyrille Douchin, 29, who had been living on the Isle of Sark, was found by a cruise ship about 46 miles (74km) off the coast on 23 September, 2021.

It is believed he might have entered the water off Sark on, or shortly after, 25 August 2021, possibly in a kayak or similar craft.

Investigating officers are now appealing for information about his final movements, including identifying a person on Sark who found a bike believed to have been used by Mr Douchin, which was found abandoned at Creux Harbour.

Initially, attempts to identify the body, which was taken to Southampton, proved unsuccessful.

But with the help of oceanographers, forensic experts and Interpol, a breakthrough was made in early 2024, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, the investigating force, said.

At the time of his death, Mr Douchin had been wearing a full black wetsuit, including boots and gloves.

A spokesperson for the force said: "We would like to hear from anyone on Sark or Guernsey who spoke to or interacted with Mr Douchin, especially in August 2021, who may have information about his intentions to leave Sark or go out on the water.

"Our team are also looking to particularly speak with the person on Sark who located a Dawes mountain bike, believed to have been used by Mr Douchin and which was found abandoned at Creux Harbour in early September 2021."

Follow BBC Guernsey on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook . Send your story ideas to [email protected] .

More on this story

Bonus £5K for police over ongoing staff shortages

Guernsey Police under pressure to release footage

Police recruitment campaign event organised

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The incident happened over on the afternoon of Sunday, August 25 near Fossil Rapid inside the park. National Park officials said a man had reportedly flipped in his boat on the river and officials with the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center had received reports that CPR was in progress on the man.

Despite life-saving efforts done by the group and park rangers flown into the area, the man was pronounced dead.

Both the National Park Service and Coconino County Medical Examiner are investigating the incident. The man's identity has not been released at this time, but officials said he was on a commercial river trip when the incident occurred.

Other deaths have happened at the park this year

Over the weekend, search-and-rescue crews located the body of Chenoa Nickerson, 33, from Gilbert, Arizona who was missing during a flash flood that swept through the area while she was on a hiking trip.

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Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

Man fell to death after jumping from world's biggest cruise ship - 'star' of Channel 4 documentary

In may 2024, a man tragically died after jumping from star of channel 4 documentary, the world’s biggest cruise ship, as a passenger onboard described the 'dystopian' scenes at the time.

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The Channel 4 documentary, The World’s Biggest Cruise ship, set to air at 8pm on Sunday 18 August follows the build of the almost quarter of a mile long ship which took 7 years and cost nearly $2 million to build.

Although the ship provides a luxury experience for guests around the Caribbean, it was rocked with sadness when a passenger sadly died after jumping overboard on the ship, after it set sail from Florida.

The tragic incident came just months after the ship, which holds 5,000 guests, made its maiden voyage in January 2024.

On the first night of its week long voyage, in May 2024, the male passenger jumped from the 20 deck high Royal Caribbean’s new 1,200-foot-long Icon of the Seas soon after it left Florida for Honduras.

The Coast Guard, told the New York Post that “the cruise ship deployed one of their rescue boats, located the man, and brought him back aboard”. He was then later pronounced deceased.

The ship, which was said to be about 300 miles from Port Miami at the time of the incident stopped for two hours while members of the crew helped the Coast Guard in his search and rescue mission.

Beyond assisting in the search, the US Coast Guard did not have much involvement in the incident.

Royal Caribbean told the publication: “The ship’s crew immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard and launched a search and rescue operation.

“Our Care Team is actively providing support and assistance to the guest’s loved ones during this difficult time.”

Reports stated that the man in question had been brought back on board in a critical condition before he unfortunately passed away.

After the incident, passenger Zachary Normandin, 31, described the “dystopian” scenes to The Post .

“Everyone in the dining room clapped and we’re like ‘yeah,’” the Connecticut resident said. “We assumed that the guy was fine,” he said on the moment it was revealed the man had been pulled out of the sea.

“I don’t think everyone knows about the guy dying. I think it’s kind of purposely silenced,” he said, adding that he didn’t think the Royal Caribbean ‘wanted to scare anyone’.

Zachary also revealed that he was ‘surprised’ how many people ‘went about their business’ during the search and after, when it was shared that the man had tragically passed away, calling the atmosphere “dystopian”.

“I think people were just trying not to think about it, maybe, I don’t know,” the passenger concluded.

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