California Fishermen Pull Cruise Ship Pianist From Pacific After Nine-Hour Drift

Two commercial fishermen off the California coast rescued a man who had been treading water in the Pacific Ocean for approximately nine hours. The incident involved a crew member who fell from the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Ovation of the Seas.

Grant Garrett and Sean Norton spotted the individual roughly 20 miles from shore on Friday morning. Garrett said he confirmed the person was a human being and ordered the boat stopped to prepare rescue lines. Norton described the moment of lifting the man into the vessel as surreal.

Norton and Garrett each grabbed an arm to pull the survivor aboard. The man was in total shock at the time. He told Norton that his only words were, "Thank you. I thought I was gonna die."

Newport County officials determined the man went overboard about nine hours before his rescue. He identified himself as a pianist on the Ovation of the Seas. Norton credited the strong El Niño weather phenomenon for the man's survival. The phenomenon raises Pacific Ocean temperatures, and Norton noted the water was 76 degrees Fahrenheit. He stated that in a different year, the man likely would not have survived the exposure.

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean said the company is providing support and assistance to the crew member. The line noted that no additional details were available to respect the employee's privacy. The US Coast Guard and Newport County lifeguards were contacted for comment.