A Royal Caribbean cruise ship pianist is expected to survive after two Newport Beach fishermen discovered him treading water in the Pacific Ocean about 20 miles offshore on Friday.
The man, whose identity has not been released, was taken to a hospital following the rescue, the U.S. Coast Guard reported. The agency is now investigating how he fell overboard from the cruise vessel.
Authorities believe he spent roughly nine hours in the water before being spotted by Sean Norton and Grant Garrett, who were returning from a fishing excursion near Catalina Island.
The pair had been fishing for marlin that morning when their journey took an abrupt turn. By noon, they had pulled the stranded man from the ocean.
“I thought, ‘It’s a person. Stop the boat and secure all lines,'” recalled Garrett, describing how the boat’s captain first noticed the man in the water, according to his interview with CBS News.
The fishermen promptly cooperated to bring the man onto their boat. After he steadied himself, he told Garrett that he was a pianist aboard Royal Caribbean’s 14‑deck cruise ship, the “Ovation of the Seas.”
Norton reported that the crew member said very little. “The only thing he said to me was, ‘Thank you. I thought I was going to die,'” Norton recounted.
Following the rescue, the fishing crew filed an emergency maritime call, prompting Newport Beach lifeguards to arrive and assist. Battalion Chief Adam Yacenda stated the man was located about 15 to 20 miles offshore—essentially “in the middle of the ocean,” according to CBS.
Despite the extended time he spent in the water, Norton believes the unusually warm ocean temperatures may have helped him survive.
“This is a crazy super El Niño year. He was in the water for about ten hours, but the water temperature was 76 °F,” Norton observed. “In a different year, there’s no way he would have survived.”
The circumstances of the crew member’s fall from the cruise ship are still under investigation by the Coast Guard. Royal Caribbean Group has confirmed the incident and said it is providing assistance to the employee during this difficult time.
In a statement to CBS, a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said, “We are offering support and assistance to our crew member during this difficult time. To respect the privacy of our employee, we have no further details to share.”