A Royal Caribbean pianist spent 9 hours alone in the Pacific Ocean, then two fishermen spotted something moving in the water

A Royal Caribbean pianist is alive after surviving nine hours in the Pacific Ocean. The man was discovered roughly 20 miles off the coast of California. He is currently stable and recovering in a hospital after being rescued by two fishermen.

As reported by CBS, the rescue happened when Sean Norton and Grant Garrett spotted something moving in the water while they were out fishing for marlin near Catalina Island. They had been out on the water that morning and were heading home when they noticed the man treading water. Garrett recalled the moment they realized what they were looking at. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, it’s a human being. Stop the boat. Let’s get all of our lines in’.”

Once the pair reached the man, they helped him onto their boat. Norton described the rescue process, noting that both he and Garrett grabbed an arm to pull the man to safety. The survivor, a 37-year-old crew member from the Ovation of the Seas, was clearly exhausted. Norton mentioned that the man was in total shock when they brought him aboard. The man told his rescuers that he thought he was going to die.

He survived due to the current weather patterns 

Officials believe the pianist went overboard from the cruise ship around 2:30 a.m. The Ovation of the Seas was traveling from Long Beach to Ensenada, Mexico, when the incident occurred. The ship is a massive vessel with 14 decks, packed with passengers and entertainment options like live music, which is where the man worked.

The survival of the pianist is likely due to the current weather patterns in the region. Norton pointed out that the water temperature played a major role in the outcome. “You have this crazy super El Niño year. This guy was in the water for probably 10 hours, but the water’s 76 degrees. A different year – there’s no way he makes it.”

After the fishermen pulled the man from the ocean, they made an emergency maritime call to alert authorities. Newport Beach lifeguards arrived to assist with the situation. Battalion Chief Adam Yacenda confirmed that the rescue took place well offshore.

The Coast Guard is now investigating how the man ended up in the water. No information has been provided yet regarding whether the fall was accidental or if other circumstances were involved. The investigation into the timeline and the cause of the event is ongoing.

Royal Caribbean Group has acknowledged the event through a brief statement. They mentioned they are working to support their employee while maintaining his privacy. “We are providing support and assistance to our crew member during this difficult time. To respect the privacy of our employees, we have no additional details to share.”