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http://www.wftv.com/news/20702321/detail.html
Posted: 7:04 am EDT September 3, 2009
Updated: 4:47 pm EDT September 3, 2009
PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Eyewitness News obtained home video of a miraculous rescue at sea (watch video) Thursday. A passenger jumped off a Carnival cruise ship and treaded water for more than one hour and video from the middle of the night shows how he was picked up by another cruise ship.
In a statement released Thursday from Carnival Sensation cruise ship, officials said a 34-year-old male guest was witnessed jumping overboard from a balcony stateroom on the Carnival Sensation, which was on the final night of a four-day cruise to the Bahamas and returning to its home port of Port Canaveral.
The ship immediately began search and rescue operations, including returning the vessel to the area where the man was witnessed going overboard. Cruise ship officials said all appropriate authorities were notified.
The U.S. Coast Guard says the man fell overboard approximately 28 nautical miles east-northeast of Port St. Lucie, about 100 miles south of Port Canaveral. The man was found at approximately 12:45am by the Disney Wonder cruise ship, which was assisting in the rescue efforts. The Sensation cruise ship radioed to the Disney Wonder, which was behind them on the same route.
Officials say the man jumped from the u-deck, which is about 30 feet up from the surface of the water. Passengers aboard the Disney wonder recorded the video of the drama on the high seas.
Off in the distance, the Carnival Sensation had stopped after the 34-year-old man was reported overboard.
"He was lucky to have other ships in the area or it would have been a long night," passenger Larry Watts said.
The passengers aboard the Disney Wonder noticed right away when their ship was radioed for assistance in the search. Eyewitnesses said they could hear the man calling for help.
"The captain of the ship asked everybody to be quiet so they could actually hear him," passenger Joseph Marte said.
The rescued man, whose name hasn't been released, was celebrating his anniversary with his wife on the Sensation. Investigators suspect he had been drinking before he leaped overboard.
"We noticed the ship was doing some zig-zags and we saw them drop some flares into the water," Marte said.
The Coast Guard said the man was fortunate the seas were calm and that the Disney Wonder was nearby. While he had to tread water for 90 minutes, passengers and rescuers alike were astonished he was found in the middle of the ocean and in the middle of the night.
"He is lucky to be alive," Watts said.
The rescued man was lifted aboard the Disney ship and taken into port. Authorities say the man was then taken to a hospital to be treated for some minor injuries and a mental health examination.
The Coast Guard says it helped that the man was wearing a white t-shirt that his rescuers were able to spot him under a near-full moon.
Carnival officials said they wish to extend its thanks and appreciation to the officers and crew of the Disney Wonder, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard for their assistance.
Carnival Sensation returned to Port Canaveral Thursday morning.
EYEWITNESS 'TWITTERS' ABOUT DISNEY RESCUE
A passenger aboard the Wonder witnessed the entire scenario unfold and wrote about it on his Twitter page. That passenger witnessed the rescue at sea.
In six entries he posted on Twitter, BigHeadDennis (Dennis) wrote: "I'm on a Disney cruise and we just rescued a man from the ocean."
"A guy fell off a Carnival ship. We could hear him screaming from the water. We stopped and dropped in a lifeboat," Dennis tweeted.
Dennis went on to explain in his tweets how the Disney ship's captain announced over the ship's speaker system asking everyone to be quiet so the lifeboat crew could pinpoint where the man was from his screams for help. Dennis also reported that he saw the crew scoop the man from the water, well before the Coast Guard arrived at the scene.
Then Dennis tweeted, "Safe and sound." And then a final entry, "Guess that Disney magic is REAL."
Posted: 7:04 am EDT September 3, 2009
Updated: 4:47 pm EDT September 3, 2009
PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Eyewitness News obtained home video of a miraculous rescue at sea (watch video) Thursday. A passenger jumped off a Carnival cruise ship and treaded water for more than one hour and video from the middle of the night shows how he was picked up by another cruise ship.
In a statement released Thursday from Carnival Sensation cruise ship, officials said a 34-year-old male guest was witnessed jumping overboard from a balcony stateroom on the Carnival Sensation, which was on the final night of a four-day cruise to the Bahamas and returning to its home port of Port Canaveral.
The ship immediately began search and rescue operations, including returning the vessel to the area where the man was witnessed going overboard. Cruise ship officials said all appropriate authorities were notified.
The U.S. Coast Guard says the man fell overboard approximately 28 nautical miles east-northeast of Port St. Lucie, about 100 miles south of Port Canaveral. The man was found at approximately 12:45am by the Disney Wonder cruise ship, which was assisting in the rescue efforts. The Sensation cruise ship radioed to the Disney Wonder, which was behind them on the same route.
Officials say the man jumped from the u-deck, which is about 30 feet up from the surface of the water. Passengers aboard the Disney wonder recorded the video of the drama on the high seas.
Off in the distance, the Carnival Sensation had stopped after the 34-year-old man was reported overboard.
"He was lucky to have other ships in the area or it would have been a long night," passenger Larry Watts said.
The passengers aboard the Disney Wonder noticed right away when their ship was radioed for assistance in the search. Eyewitnesses said they could hear the man calling for help.
"The captain of the ship asked everybody to be quiet so they could actually hear him," passenger Joseph Marte said.
The rescued man, whose name hasn't been released, was celebrating his anniversary with his wife on the Sensation. Investigators suspect he had been drinking before he leaped overboard.
"We noticed the ship was doing some zig-zags and we saw them drop some flares into the water," Marte said.
The Coast Guard said the man was fortunate the seas were calm and that the Disney Wonder was nearby. While he had to tread water for 90 minutes, passengers and rescuers alike were astonished he was found in the middle of the ocean and in the middle of the night.
"He is lucky to be alive," Watts said.
The rescued man was lifted aboard the Disney ship and taken into port. Authorities say the man was then taken to a hospital to be treated for some minor injuries and a mental health examination.
The Coast Guard says it helped that the man was wearing a white t-shirt that his rescuers were able to spot him under a near-full moon.
Carnival officials said they wish to extend its thanks and appreciation to the officers and crew of the Disney Wonder, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard for their assistance.
Carnival Sensation returned to Port Canaveral Thursday morning.
EYEWITNESS 'TWITTERS' ABOUT DISNEY RESCUE
A passenger aboard the Wonder witnessed the entire scenario unfold and wrote about it on his Twitter page. That passenger witnessed the rescue at sea.
In six entries he posted on Twitter, BigHeadDennis (Dennis) wrote: "I'm on a Disney cruise and we just rescued a man from the ocean."
"A guy fell off a Carnival ship. We could hear him screaming from the water. We stopped and dropped in a lifeboat," Dennis tweeted.
Dennis went on to explain in his tweets how the Disney ship's captain announced over the ship's speaker system asking everyone to be quiet so the lifeboat crew could pinpoint where the man was from his screams for help. Dennis also reported that he saw the crew scoop the man from the water, well before the Coast Guard arrived at the scene.
Then Dennis tweeted, "Safe and sound." And then a final entry, "Guess that Disney magic is REAL."
I figured he was drunk and fell...what an idiot.
