A pianist from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship is expected to survive after two fishermen from Newport Beach, California, discovered him treading water Friday in the Pacific Ocean nearly 20 miles offshore.
The unidentified man was taken to hospital after the rescue, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, which is currently investigating how he fell overboard of the cruise ship.
Authorities believe the man may have been in the ocean for about nine hours before he was spotted by Sean Norton and Grant Garrett, who were returning from a fishing trip near Catalina Island.
The two fishermen had spent the morning fishing for marlin when their trip took an unexpected turn. By midday, they had pulled the stranded man from the water.
“I’m like, ‘Yeah, he’s a human being. Stop the boat; let’s put all our lines in,” Garrett told CBS News, remembering the moment the boat’s captain first saw the man in the water.
The fishermen quickly worked together to get the man on board. Once the man regained his composure, Garrett said he identified himself as a pianist aboard Royal Caribbean’s 14-deck cruise ship, the “Ovation of the Seas.”
According to Norton, the rescued crew member had few words to describe what he had just experienced. “The only thing he said to me was, ‘Thank you. I thought I was going to die,'” Norton said.
After the rescue, the fishing crew issued an emergency marine call, prompting Newport Beach lifeguards to respond and provide assistance. Battalion Chief Adam Yacenda said the man was found about 15 to 20 miles offshore, according to CBS, or “roughly in the middle of the ocean.”
Despite spending a long time in the water, Norton believes the unusually warm ocean temperatures may have played an important role in human survival.
“You have this crazy year of super El Niño. This guy was in the water for probably 10 hours, but the water is 76 degrees,” Norton said. “A different year, he won’t make it.”
The circumstances surrounding the cruise ship crew member’s fall remain under investigation by the Coast Guard. Royal Caribbean Group acknowledged the incident and said it was helping the employee after the ordeal.
In a statement to CBS, a company spokesperson said: “We are providing support and assistance to our crew member during this difficult time. To respect our employee’s privacy, we have no additional details to share.”
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