US Coast Guard responds to reports of cruise ship passenger overboard in Gulf of Mexico

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The U.S. Coast Guard is responding to reports of a Carnival Valor cruise ship passenger who went overboard while the ship was in the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday afternoon. 

The U.S. Coast Guard District 8 said it was searching for a missing cruise ship passenger approximately 150 miles offshore SouthWest Pass, Louisiana. They described the passenger as a 32-year-old African American female. 

Passengers on board a Carnival cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico.  (WVUE-DT)

Carnival Cruise Line told Fox News it received reports about a female guest who jumped overboard from her balcony while the ship was at sea. 

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A company spokesperson said the ship’s command immediately began search and rescue procedures and returned to the area near where the incident occurred and notified the U.S. Coast Guard. 

FILE PHOTO: The Carnival Valor cruise ship, which is housing crew members only, is docked in its home port of New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., amid the outbreak of COVID-19.  (Reuters/Kathleen Flynn/File Photo)

"Carnival’s CARE team is providing support to the guest’s husband who was traveling with her," the spokesperson said. 

A life raft in the water.  (WVUE-DT)

The ship remained in a holding pattern hours after the reported incident. A passenger on board the ship told Fox News "we’re just sitting dead in the water" while the ship waited for a rescue team to arrive. 

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The ship was returning from a five-day cruise to Mexico that departed New Orleans on February 12 and was due back Thursday morning. No further details were immediately available.