Cruise Ship Passenger Rescued After Falling Overboard
In a dramatic rescue at sea, a cruise ship bound for San Diego abruptly changed course Wednesday so crew members could save a man who had fallen off the 12-deck ship.
As other passengers watched, the 49-year-old man was pulled from the ocean about 100 miles south of Ensenada in Baja California. Police said the fall appeared to be accidental, and the man suffered no serious injuries.
The passenger, whose name was not disclosed, disembarked in San Diego and took a taxi home, authorities said.
The rescue prompted cheers for the captain and crew from the 900 passengers aboard the boat, said Mimi Weisband, a spokeswoman for Crystal Cruises Inc.
“To have somebody rescued at sea was certainly dramatic and everybody responded so well,” Weisband said.
The incident occurred as the Crystal Harmony was sailing back to Los Angeles after a 10-day cruise to Mexico.
About 6 a.m., while most passengers were asleep, kitchen crew members saw the man falling from an upper deck, Weisband said. A life ring was thrown to him, and the 50,000-ton ship immediately turned around.
Crew members in a lifeboat pulled the man from the water during the 30-minute rescue.
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