Breaking News:Disney Wonder Rescues Man

[Tink1]

Debbie is currently on the 4 night Wonder sailing and just messaged me ~1am:

The Carnival Sensation had a man go overboard this evening. The Wonder located him and the ships crew were able to rescue him. (Debbie could hear the cries for help)

Debbie said the seas are rough. They had trouble getting the lifeboat back onto the hooks and had to turn the ship to block some of the worse swells

Seems like this man received a whole heap of Disney Magic!

Nanci

[Melanie]

Wow!!!

[clou1028]

Wow, that is amazing! I am so glad he was rescued.

[doombuggy]

From WESH News:


Disney Ship Rescues Passenger After Fall
Passenger Falls From Carnival Sensation


CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A man was rescued Thursday morning after falling from a cruise ship based at Port Canaveral.

The man was aboard the Carnival Sensation, and Coast Guard Petty Officer Nick Ameen said he was found about 20 miles offshore of Port St. Lucie.

Ameen said the passenger was able to tread water for about an hour before being rescued by another cruise ship, the Disney Wonder.

"Time is always our biggest enemy in a case like this. Obviously, the longer they're out there, the less chance for survival they have, so it is absolutely wonderful that the Disney Wonder crew was able to spot him and bring him to safety as quickly as they did," Ameen said.

Wonder Responds To Distress Call
Disney Cruise Lines spokeswoman Rena Langley said the Wonder heard the distress call and launched a small rescue boat with a four-man crew.

The captain of the ship made an announcement to passengers that a course change was being made to conduct the search.

Langley said Disney was proud of the four-member team that located the man and pulled him into the boat.

Because of the captain's announcement, a group of passengers gathered on deck to watch the rescue and cheered when the boat returned to the ship with the rescued passenger.

The medical staff aboard the Disney Wonder found the passenger to be in good health, but they said he was physically exhausted.

Both ships returned to Port Canaveral following the rescue.

Twitter User Tweets About Rescue
A Twitter user posted tweets about the rescue at sea.

BigHeadDennis, who said he's from Boston and married with two daughters, said he now guesses the Disney magic is real. He said he watched the rescue while sitting on a balcony outside his stateroom.

"The lifeboat crew scooped him up from the water before the Coast Guard (helicopter) even reached us," he said.

The witness said the Disney captain asked passengers to remain quiet while the lifeboat crew listened for the lost passenger.

BigHeadDennis said the ship was on a cruise to the Caribbean.

It's amazing that they were able to rescue him in the dark (and find him in the first place). Kudos to the Wonder crew!

[VWL Mom]

Wow, lucky him. I have to ask though, is it that easy to go overboard on a ship? This is the 4th one I heard about this summer.

[Lizzy]

From Florida Today:

A 34-year-old man who fell overboard from a cruise ship late Wednesday is in good condition today after being rescued by crewmembers from the Port Canaveral-based Disney Wonder.



The unidentified man was pulled from the Atlantic Ocean at about 12:45 a.m. today, about 90 minutes after U.S. Coast Guard officials said he fell off of the Carnival Sensation, a cruise ship also based at the Port.


“Two things saved his life. He knew how to swim and hold on to hope, and he was wearing a white T-shirt beneath a full moon. The white T-shirt made it easier for them to see him,” said Johnny Gonzalez of the U.S. Coast Guard in Miami


“He was a little tired, but in good condition,” Gonzalez said.


Officials said the man fell off the Sensation at 11:21 p.m. Wednesday, about 28 miles east of Port St. Lucie.


The Coast Guard launched a search helicopter and a 47-foot-long rescue boat from Fort Pierce. An alert also went out to seagoing vessels to assist with the search. The Disney Wonder also responded to the call and spotted the man.


“We were on our way back from the Bahamas and did respond to an emergency call,” said Rena Langley, spokeswoman for Disney Cruise Lines.


“We found him but didn’t know how long he was in the water. We deployed a four-crew rescue boat and brought him aboard. Clearly, we are very pleased to respond and assist with this. We’re proud of our crewmembers.”


The Wonder, one of two Disney cruise ships based at Port Canaveral, continued on to the port where it docked on time, Langley said.


An investigation into what caused the man to fall overboard is ongoing, officials said.

It's nice to hear of some good news from Disney following all the very sad and unfortunate deaths the past few months.

[nicster]

Very Good news indeed

[Pixie Power]

Amazing! Kudos to the Wonder crew that rescued him!

[Tink1]

Wow, lucky him. I have to ask though, is it that easy to go overboard on a ship? This is the 4th one I heard about this summer.

No, it really is not easy!

Most are a combination of alcohol and stupidity.

Nanc

[doombuggy]

Carnival: Passenger Jumped Overboard
Thursday, September 03, 2009 11:42:29 AM

Reported By Margaret Kavanagh, Central FL News 13

PORT CANAVERAL-- It was an amazing rescue at sea after a man fell off a cruise ship and was rescued by another ship.

Carnival Cruise Lines said a witness saw the 34-year-old man jump overboard from a balcony stateroom of the Carnival Sensation around 11:15 p.m. Wednesday as they were traveling off the coast of south Florida near Port St. Lucie.

The Carnival Sensation was heading back to Port Canaveral on the last day of a four-day cruise of the Bahamas.

Passengers on the Carnival ship said they heard an emergency announcement being made and that people were lining the railing looking for the man in the water.

"We turned around and got back to where they had dropped the buoys. You could hear him. It was pitch dark -- you couldn't see him, but you could hear him," said one man who was a passenger on the Carnival Sensation.

According to a statement from Carnival, the ship returned to to the area where the man jumped in an effort to rescue him.

Around 12:45 a.m., the man was eventually found by crews for the Disney Wonder, another ship that was headed back to Port Canaveral which participated in the rescue effort.

Passengers on the Carnival ship told News 13 that shortly after the rescue, it started to rain and there was lightning in the area.

Authorities said the man is in good condition. He is being questioned at this time and is undergoing a mental evaluation.

Both the Carnival Sensation and the Disney Wonder sail out of Port Canaveral on Thursdays.

Carnival released this statement:

"Carnival wishes 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."

[johnO]

He jumped!? And he put the rescue crews at risk....

[Patricia]

Wow, that is one lucky guy!

[gueli]

Wonder ful News.
Way to go, whoever spotted him.

[buzznwoodysmom]

What terrific news. Its always so nice to hear news with a good ending. These days they seem to be few and far between.

[Ed]

He jumped!? And he put the rescue crews at risk....

Yep. There are no limits to some peoples' stupidity.

Usually prodded along by excessive

[MinnieMommie]

Go Disney Wonder!! So happy to know that all are safe and well. This could have turned out badly all around. What a story!

[swampfox28]

Okay, I know it's NOT funny, but my first thought was, "Maybe I could jump from our Carnival cruise and get rescued by a Disney ship!!!"

It's TERRIBLE, I know (and too dangerous and often stupid when people jump or fall) - but talk about a TERRIFIC way to be rescued!!!


-Sarah

[Mousemates]

finally a bit of good news for disney, after what seemed like a long series of unfortunate events.

[IamBelle]

WOW! That's incredible! Good Work Crew of Disney Wonder!

[mousetrapper]

What great story - and after so many tragic WDW-related incidents.