A man who fell off a cruise ship has been rescued about 32 kilometres south of Louisiana's Southwest Pass after a night at sea.
The New Orleans coastguard said it received a call from the Carnival Valor at about 2.30pm on Thursday local time reporting a passenger was missing after falling overboard on Wednesday night.
The coastguard sprung into action, coordinating a search involving several rescue crews.
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew rescued the 28-year-old man at 8.25pm on Thursday after the bulk carrier CRINIS spotted him in the water.
The crew hoisted the man onto the helicopter and transferred him to New Orleans Lakefront Airport for medical treatment, the coastguard said.
"We are beyond grateful that this case ended with a positive outcome," search and rescue mission coordinator Lieutenant Seth Gross said.
"It took a total team effort from coastguard watchstanders, response crews, and our professional maritime partners operating in the Gulf of Mexico to locate the missing individual and get him to safety.
"If not for the alert crew aboard the motor vessel CRINIS, this case could have had a much more difficult ending."
The man is reportedly in a stable condition.
