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Man overboard from Carnival cruise ship rescued after nearly 20 hours in water

James Michael Grimes from Alabama, US went missing on 24 November the night before.

The man was a passenger on the Carnival Magic cruise ship which was about 186 miles east of Tampa, Florida.

A man who went overboard on a Carnival cruise ship and said he spent nearly 20 hours in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico has been rescued by the US Coast Guard.

James Michael Grimes, from Alabama, US, was reported missing from the Carnival Magic cruise ship on 24 November. The ship was about 186 miles east of Tampa, Florida, at the time.

The Coast Guard launched a search and rescue operation, and Grimes was eventually found by a helicopter crew on 25 November. He was taken to a hospital in Tampa, where he was treated for dehydration and exposure.

Grimes told investigators that he had gone overboard after he lost his balance while trying to climb over a railing on the ship. He said he spent the next 19 hours in the water, treading water and trying to stay afloat.

The Coast Guard said that Grimes was “lucky to be alive” and that he had “endured a lot of hardship.” The Coast Guard also praised the efforts of the helicopter crew that rescued Grimes.