A southern Ontario man's drunken swim touched off an international rescue operation late Monday night, police say.

The 47-year-old Windsor, Ont., man made it all the way across to the American side of the Detroit River and was on his way back when he was picked up by authorities.

Windsor police said they responded to a call around 11:30 p.m. from a woman who said she hadn't seen her friend since he jumped into the river about half an hour earlier.

The Canadian and U.S. coast guards sent out three boats and a helicopter to search the area, and located the man around 12:50 a.m. on the Canadian side of the river, west of the Hilton Hotel.

The man, identified by local media reports as John Morillo, was uninjured but was charged with being intoxicated in a public place and may face a fine of up to $25,000. He told a local paper he was sorry for the stunt.

Police said swimming in the Detroit River shipping channel is both dangerous and illegal.