Two Southern California fishermen rescued a cruise ship pianist who spent roughly nine hours treading water in the Pacific Ocean after falling overboard from the Ovation of the Seas.
Fishermen Save Pianist After Hours Adrift
Sean Norton and Grant Garrett pulled the conscious man aboard Friday about 20 miles off the mainland after their captain spotted him near Catalina Island, according to reports. Catalina Island lies about 22 miles from the Los Angeles County coast.
I’m like, ‘Yeah, it’s a human being. Stop the boat; let’s get all of our lines in,
Grant Garrett recalled to CBS News.
Two fishermen rescued a Royal Caribbean cruise ship pianist who may have spent 10 hours in the Pacific Ocean after going overboard off Southern California. https://t.co/VSKNnKFcD2
Norton and Garrett each grabbed an arm to lift the stranded musician onto the deck. Norton stated that the man appeared to be in shock after being pulled from the water.
The only thing he said to me was, ‘Thank you. I thought I was gonna die,’
Norton said, according to the BBC.
The rescued man identified himself to the fishing crew as a pianist working aboard the 14-deck cruise ship Ovation of the Seas.
Warm Ocean Temperatures Helped the Pianist Survive
The fishing crew issued an emergency maritime call after pulling the pianist from the water.
It was approximately 15 to 20 miles offshore, pretty much in the middle of the ocean,
Newport Beach Lifeguard Battalion Chief Adam Yacenda told CBS LA.
Norton credited unusually warm ocean temperatures for the musician’s survival.
Cruise ship pianist rescued from sea after nine hours in Pacific Ocean https://t.co/wlSl37rrpb
You have this crazy super El Niño year. This guy was in the water for probably 10 hours, but the water’s 76 degrees,
Norton said, equating the temperature to about 24C, adding that in a different year no way he makes it.
Scientists monitoring the Pacific note that the developing El Niño climate phenomenon is currently the strongest on record, with ocean temperatures about 3.05C above average.
The person was handed over to Newport Beach Lifeguards, and the U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the incident.
Royal Caribbean Issues Statement
Lifeguard officials confirmed the man was an employee of the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship. A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean Group addressed the incident in a statement.
[W]e are providing support and assistance to our crew member during this difficult time. To respect the privacy of our employee, we have no additional details to share
Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson
In September, 56-year-old computer programmer Thomas Gigler went overboard from the Carnival Panorama while the ship sailed from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to Long Beach, while celebrating an anniversary with his wife Michelle. Gigler, who spent 24 years working for Esri and lived in Redlands with his three sons, was presumed dead after going overboard from a location near the 11th deck, having ascended roughly nine floors from the family’s second-deck cabin.
How the pianist fell overboard has not been explained by the U.S. Coast Guard as its investigation continues.
Earlier coverage: Fishermen Rescue Royal Caribbean Pianist After Nine Hours in Water