A cruise ship pianist working for Royal Caribbean has been rescued after reportedly spending nearly nine hours stranded in the Pacific Ocean following a suspected fall overboard off the California coast.
The unidentified crew member was discovered treading water approximately 20 miles (32 kilometres) offshore near Catalina Island on Friday by two fishermen, Grant Garrett and Sean Norton.
According to US media reports, the man may have fallen overboard from the 14-deck Ovation of the Seas cruise ship at around 2:30am before being spotted by the fishermen several hours later.
Recalling the dramatic rescue, Garrett said they immediately stopped their boat after realising there was a person struggling in the water.
“I’m like, ‘Yeah, it’s a human being. Stop the boat; let’s get all of our lines in,'” Garrett was quoted as saying.
Norton revealed that the rescued man was visibly grateful, with his only words being, “Thank you. I thought I was gonna die.”
The US Coast Guard confirmed that it received a report from a Good Samaritan who had recovered a conscious individual from the water.
The man was subsequently handed over to Newport Beach Lifeguards and rushed to hospital, where he was reported to be in stable condition.
Newport Beach Lifeguard Battalion Chief Adam Yacenda said the man was found approximately 15 to 20 miles offshore, describing the location as being “pretty much in the middle of the ocean.”
The fishermen credited unusually warm ocean temperatures with potentially helping the pianist survive the prolonged ordeal.
Norton noted that the water temperature was approximately 76°F (24°C), suggesting that colder conditions could have significantly reduced the man’s chances of survival.
“A different year, no way he makes it,” Norton said.
Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean Group confirmed that the rescued man was one of its crew members, saying it was providing support and assistance during his recovery.
The US Coast Guard has since launched an investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
