Cruise ship pianist rescued after hours in Pacific Ocean off California
Two fishermen found the man treading water about 20 miles off the Californian coast, and he is now in hospital in stable condition.
Key points
- A Royal Caribbean cruise ship pianist fell overboard in the Pacific Ocean
- Two fishermen found him near Catalina Island on Friday
- He was taken to hospital in stable condition
- The US Coast Guard is investigating the incident
- Officials believe he was in the water for about nine hours
A cruise ship pianist was pulled from the Pacific Ocean after a lengthy stretch in the water, according to US media reports. Two fishermen spotted the man treading water roughly 20 miles (32km) off the Californian coast on Friday, close to Catalina Island.
The man is employed by Royal Caribbean and worked as a pianist aboard the Ovation of the Seas, a cruise vessel with 14 decks. Investigators think he could have spent close to nine hours in the sea. CBS News, which is the US partner of the BBC, reported those estimates. He has not been publicly named.
How the rescue happened
Fisherman Grant Garrett described how he and Sean Norton noticed the man and immediately chose to halt their boat and haul in their lines. Norton recalled that the man said he had been a pianist and feared he would not survive.
The US Coast Guard stated that a bystander who acted as a rescuer had brought a responsive person out of the water and reported it. That person was passed to Newport Beach Lifeguards, who verified that he was a crew member on the cruise ship. Lifeguards think he went over the side at roughly 2:30 a.m., about nine hours before the fishermen found him.
Newport Beach Lifeguard Battalion Chief Adam Yacenda told CBS the location was between 15 and 20 miles from shore, in open water. The man was admitted to hospital and his condition was described as stable.
Role of warm ocean water
Norton believes the unusually warm sea is the reason the man lived. He put the water temperature at 76 degrees, close to 24C, and said that in a different year the outcome would likely have been fatal.
Researchers tracking the Pacific report that the developing El Niño weather pattern ranks as the strongest ever recorded. Ocean temperatures there are roughly 3.05C above average.
Response from the cruise company
Royal Caribbean Group told the BBC it is giving support to the crew member at a hard moment. The company also said it would not release more details out of respect for the employee’s privacy.
The Coast Guard is still looking into how the man ended up in the water. The reports available do not confirm what caused him to fall overboard.
Frequently asked questions
Where was the cruise ship pianist found?
According to US media reports, he was found about 20 miles off the Californian coast, near Catalina Island. Two fishermen discovered him on Friday.
What is the condition of the pianist?
The US Coast Guard told the BBC he was taken to hospital in a stable condition. He has not yet been publicly identified.
Which cruise ship was he working on?
He was reportedly an employee of the Ovation of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. The company said it is supporting the crew member.
Sources
This article was written with the help of AI from reports by the outlets listed above. See our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
