Cruise Pianist Survives 9-Hour Ocean Rescue After Falling Overboard

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A 37-year-old cruise ship pianist survived more than nine hours in the Pacific Ocean after falling overboard before being rescued by two fishermen off the Southern California coast on Friday. The incident occurred on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas, a massive 14-deck cruise ship that accommodates over 4,000 passengers and 1,500 crew members.

Rescue After Nearly 10 Hours In Water

The man reportedly fell into the water around 2:30 a.m., and fishermen Sean Norton and Grant Garrett found him floating nearly 20 miles offshore around noon. The two pulled him into their boat and made an emergency maritime call. Garrett said he spotted the man in the water and instructed Norton to stop the boat so they could reel in their fishing lines.

“The only thing he [the pianist] said to me was, ‘Thank you. I thought I was gonna die,'” Norton told CBS News. The man was brought ashore and rushed to a nearby hospital in stable condition.

Warm Ocean Temperatures Helped Survive

Norton credited unusually warm ocean temperatures with helping the man survive. “You have this crazy super El Niño year. This guy was in the water for probably 10 hours, but the water’s 76 degrees,” he said. “A different year, no way he makes it.”

A Royal Caribbean spokesperson confirmed the incident, stating, “We are providing support and assistance to our crew member during this difficult time.” The spokesperson added that they have no further details to share due to the employee’s privacy.

Previous Overboard Survival Case

This rescue comes after another passenger fell overboard from a Royal Caribbean ship in October and survived 20 hours in the water. She was aided in part by warm temperatures and a lifebuoy she clung to until help arrived.

Source: Daily Wire

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claire.thomson