U.S. Coast Guard rescues man who fell off Carnival Valor

Nov. 25 (UPI) -- A passenger who went overboard a cruise ship sailing in the Gulf of Mexico was rescued from the water by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Late Thursday night, the Coast Guard confirmed that the man was rescued after falling off of the Carnival Valor.

The Coast Guard said a MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter aircrew "hoisted the man onto the helicopter." He was unresponsive at the time of the rescue and was hospitalized in stable condition.

"We are beyond grateful that this case ended with a positive outcome," Lt. Seth Gross, a Sector New Orleans search and rescue mission coordinator, said. "It took a total team effort from Coast Guard watchstanders, response crews, and our professional maritime partners operating in the Gulf of Mexico to locate the missing individual and get him to safety. If not for the alert crew aboard the monitor vessel CRINIS, this case could have had a much more difficult ending."

The ship departed from New Orleans on Nov. 23 with stops scheduled for Cozumel and Progreso before it is set to return to Port NOLA on Nov. 28.

Carnival Cruise Line said that the man was having drinks with his sister at a bar on the ship on Wednesday when he left to use the restroom. However, he did not return to his room and his sister reported him missing on Thursday.

Coast Guard crews began searching for the man in the Gulf of Mexico at around 2:30 p.m. and the CRINIS cargo ship spotted the man and alerted the Coast Guard about six hours lated.