A Royal Caribbean cruise ship pianist was rescued after an estimated nine hours treading water in the Pacific Ocean, nearly 20 miles off the coast of Southern California.
The crew member, who has not been publicly identified, was found near Catalina Island around noon on Nov. 6 by two Newport Beach fishermen, Sean Norton and Grant Garrett, who were returning from a marlin-fishing trip.
The man told his rescuers he is a pianist on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas, which was en route from Long Beach to Ensenada, Mexico.
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California lifeguard officials believe he went overboard around 2:30 a.m. Newport Beach lifeguards responded after the fishermen made an emergency call.
The Coast Guard said he was hospitalized and is expected to survive, and it is investigating how he went overboard.
Mr. Norton told CBS Los Angeles the water was about 76 degrees amid an unusually strong El Niño and that the outcome could have been different in another year. The normal water temperature near the island in November is about 65 degrees.
Royal Caribbean Group said it is providing support to the crew member.
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