On a Friday morning, far out in the open Pacific some twenty miles off the California coast, a man who had spent his days making music aboard a cruise ship was found alone in the water, a reminder of how thin the line can be between an ordinary voyage and a fight for survival. Two fishermen chasing marlin noticed a figure where no figure should be, and in pulling him from the sea they became the unexpected witnesses to a life that nearly slipped away. How he came to be overboard remains unanswered, and so the story rests for now in a quiet space between what was endured and what is yet to be u
Fishermen Pull Cruise Ship Pianist from Pacific Waters 20 Miles Off California
A cruise ship crew member was found treading water far offshore after apparently going overboard, and was hospitalized in unclear condition.
"Thank you. I thought I was gonna die."
Mark
Twenty miles out, and two guys fishing for marlin just happen to see him. How does that even happen?
Mimi
Garrett spotted him, realized it was a person, and they stopped the boat and pulled in their lines. Norton said the man was in total shock and told him he thought he was going to die.
Mark
Why does the water temperature keep coming up?
Mimi
Norton said it was 76 degrees because of a strong El Niño. He said in a different year there's no way the man makes it.
Luke
Worth noting that's a fisherman's judgment, not a medical finding. Nobody has said what the water did or didn't do for him.
Mark
And the time in the water?
Luke
Two numbers. Authorities believe about nine hours; Norton said probably 10. Both are estimates, and we don't know when he was last seen aboard.
Mark
Do we know how he ended up overboard?
Luke
No. Royal Caribbean hasn't said, and it's not clear whether he fell, jumped, or something else. Anything beyond that would be guessing.
Mimi
The company says it's supporting him and won't share more, to respect his privacy.
Mark
What about his condition?
Luke
CBS LA, citing the Coast Guard, says he's expected to survive. The Coast Guard itself confirmed only that a conscious person was rescued. His current condition is unclear.
Der Puls
- Two fishermen chasing marlin twenty miles offshore spotted a person treading water and turned their boat around at once.
- A ship's pianist, believed to have gone overboard about nine hours earlier, was pulled aboard in deep shock, saying only thank you and that he thought he would die.
- Lifeguards and the Coast Guard raced to the mid-ocean location while Royal Caribbean kept its statement tightly limited to support and privacy.
- Unusually warm water from a strong El Niño may have kept him alive, and he is hospitalized and expected to survive, though his condition is still unclear.
- The central questions of how and when he went overboard remain unanswered as the fire department's response is still pending.
On a Friday morning, far out in the open Pacific some twenty miles off the California coast, a man who had spent his days making music aboard a cruise ship was found alone in the water, a reminder of how thin the line can be between an ordinary voyage and a fight for survival. Two fishermen chasing marlin noticed a figure where no figure should be, and in pulling him from the sea they became the unexpected witnesses to a life that nearly slipped away. How he came to be overboard remains unanswered, and so the story rests for now in a quiet space between what was endured and what is yet to be understood, while the warm waters of an unusually strong El Niño held him up long enough for help to arrive.
On Friday morning, two fishermen from Newport Beach were out after marlin about twenty miles off the California coast when one of them, Grant Garrett, noticed something in the water. He looked again and saw it was a person. Without hesitating, he told the boat to stop and reeled in the lines. The man was treading water, and Garrett and his partner, Sean Norton, lifted him aboard. Norton said the man was in total shock and that his only words were thank you, and that he had believed he was going to die.
Later, the man explained who he was: a pianist on Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas. His name has not been released. The fishermen called for help, and Newport Beach lifeguards responded. Authorities believe he went overboard roughly nine hours before he was found, somewhere in the open ocean.
Royal Caribbean said it is supporting its crew member and, out of respect for his privacy, has no further details. The company has not explained how he ended up in the water.
Many who spoke about the rescue pointed to the sea itself. This fall's strong El Niño has kept the Pacific off California unusually warm, at about 76 degrees. Norton believed the man had been in the water for perhaps ten hours, and that in a different year he would not have survived. He is now in hospital and expected to live, though his condition is unclear. How he went overboard and how he is recovering are still open questions.
On Friday morning, two Newport Beach fishermen were out after marlin, about 20 miles off the California coast, when one of them spotted something in the water. Grant Garrett told CBS Los Angeles that he looked and realized it was a person. His reaction, as he recalled it, was to tell the boat to stop and to get all the fishing lines in.
The man they found was treading water. Garrett and his fishing partner, Sean Norton, lifted him aboard. Norton described him as being in total shock. According to Norton, the only thing the man said to him was thank you, and that he had thought he was going to die.
He later told the fishermen who he was: a pianist on Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas, a 14-deck cruise ship. His name has not been made public.
With the man out of the water, the fishermen put out an emergency call, and Newport Beach lifeguards responded. Local authorities believe he may have gone overboard roughly nine hours before the fishermen found him. Newport Beach Lifeguard Battalion Chief Adam Yacenda told CBS LA the spot was about 15 to 20 miles offshore, pretty much in the middle of the ocean.
Royal Caribbean acknowledged the incident in a statement to The Independent. The company said it is providing support and assistance to its crew member during this difficult time, and that out of respect for his privacy it has no additional details to share. The statement does not say how he came to be in the water.
The water itself may have made the difference. The rescue came during a particularly strong El Niño this fall, which has kept the Pacific off California warm. Norton put it bluntly: he estimated the man was in the water for probably 10 hours, but at 76 degrees, in a different year there would be no way he makes it. Norton's figure is slightly longer than the nine hours authorities suggested, and both are estimates.
The man was hospitalized. CBS LA, citing the Coast Guard, reported that he is expected to survive, though his current condition is unclear. The Coast Guard confirmed to The Independent that a conscious individual was rescued from the water. The Independent has asked the Newport Beach Fire Department for comment.
Still open are the basic questions of how and when he went overboard, and how he is recovering. Royal Caribbean has said nothing further, and the fire department's response is pending.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
The only thing he said to me was, 'Thank you. I thought I was gonna die.'— Sean Norton, fisherman
A different year, no way he makes it.— Sean Norton, on the warm El Niño water
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