Pianist found alive after nine hours offshore
Two fishermen pulled a Royal Caribbean crew member from the Pacific near Catalina Island on Friday.
By Lorenzo Patterson ·
A pianist from the Ovation of the Seas was expected to survive after two California fishermen found him treading water in the Pacific Ocean on Friday. The unidentified man was located nearly 20 miles from shore, according to the US Coast Guard, which is investigating the circumstances of his fall overboard.
Sean Norton and Grant Garrett were returning from a morning trip fishing for marlin near Catalina Island when their vessel encountered the stranded musician. By noon, the pair had pulled the man from the water. Garrett recalled the moment the boat’s captain first spotted the figure. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, it’s a human being. Stop the boat; let’s get all of our lines in,’” Garrett said.
The two men worked quickly to bring the crew member aboard. Once the pianist regained his composure, he identified himself as a member of the 14-deck Royal Caribbean ship. Norton noted that the rescued man had few words to describe his ordeal. “The only thing he said to me was, ‘Thank you. I thought I was gonna die,’” Norton said.
Authorities believe the man had been in the ocean for approximately nine hours before the rescue. Battalion chief Adam Yacenda confirmed the location was 15 to 20 miles offshore, describing the area as being in the middle of the ocean. The fishing crew issued an emergency maritime call, which prompted Newport Beach lifeguards to respond and assist in the aftermath.
Norton attributed the man’s survival to unusually warm ocean temperatures. He pointed to the current weather patterns as a key factor. “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. “A different year, no way he makes it.”
Royal Caribbean Group acknowledged the incident and stated it is assisting the employee. A company spokesperson told CBS that the line is providing support to the crew member during this difficult time. To respect the employee’s privacy, the company said it has no additional details to share at this time.
The Coast Guard continues its investigation into how the pianist went overboard from the cruise ship. The man was taken to a hospital following the rescue, where he remained under care.
