The incident took place in Costa Maya on May 19, Carnival Cruise Line confirmed
Credit: Sina Schuldt/picture alliance via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- A Carnival Jubilee passenger jumped into the water to rescue an elderly man struggling near the ship in Costa Maya, Mexico
- Myron Tucker, hailed as a hero, says he rescued the man who was face down and struggling in the water
- Carnival Cruise Line acknowledged his efforts and confirmed the elderly passenger safely disembarked the ship upon return to Texas
A Carnival Cruise passenger is being hailed as a hero after jumping in the water to save an elderly guest who fell off a pier in Mexico.
On May 19, while the Carnival Jubilee cruise ship was docked in Costa Maya, “an elderly guest fell into the water while returning to the ship on the pier,” a cruise line spokesperson confirmed in a statement shared with PEOPLE.
They added: “Our security team responded immediately, and the guest was safely recovered and transported to the ship's medical center for care.” He later disembarked the ship when the vessel returned to Galveston, Texas.
Following the incident, footage of a man sprinting into action began to emerge online.
Credit: Sina Schuldt/picture alliance via Getty
“On the third day of our voyage, as we were returning to the ship after exploring the breathtaking beauty of Costa Maya, we were met with a scene of utter panic and distress,” TikTok user Amy Tucker wrote in the caption of her May 28 video. "The air was filled with screams and frantic gestures, directing our attention to the ocean, which prompted my husband to spring into action, rushing down the pier to investigate the cause of the commotion.”
Amy says her husband, Myron Tucker, found an elderly man “struggling desperately in the water, face down (drowning) and on the brink of disaster.” Without hesitation, he “leapt into the water,” she says.
“With every ounce of strength, he managed to grab hold of the elderly man, lift him onto his shoulder, and cradle him safely until assistance arrived to lift them both out of the water,” she describes.
In conversation with local outlet KATV, the Conway, Ark. couple recounted the dramatic rescue. “First of all, I want to say thanks to my parents; they raised me to care for my neighbor and care for others, help with heart, and I don't want to see nobody suffer. I don't want to see nobody lose their life, especially when God has blessed me to have the type of skills I have to save them,” Myron said.
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The couple says Carnival provided a free dinner as a thank you. In Carnival's statement, they said they “are aware that another guest entered the water in an effort to assist. We acknowledge the guest for their efforts.”
The Carnival Jubilee is currently operating seven-day Western Caribbean sailings out of Galveston, according to CruiseMapper. The 183,521-gross-ton vessel can accommodate 5,362 guests at double occupancy. It first entered service in 2023.
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