Two fishermen rescued a crew member from the Pacific Ocean about 15 to 20 miles off California after he had reportedly spent several hours in the water. The man was taken to hospital in stable condition, according to the BBC.
The rescue happened on Friday near Catalina Island. The fishermen, Grant Garrett and Sean Norton, said they spotted the man treading water and stopped their boat to pull him aboard.
Norton said the man told him he thought he was going to die. The crew member identified himself to the fishermen as a pianist on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas, though his name has not been released.
The U.S. Coast Guard said it received a report from a member of the public who had recovered a conscious person from the water. Newport Beach lifeguards took custody of him and confirmed he worked aboard the cruise ship. Lifeguard officials estimated he may have fallen overboard around 2:30 a.m., roughly nine hours before he was found.
Royal Caribbean Group said it was providing support and assistance to the crew member and would not share further details, citing his privacy. The Coast Guard is investigating the incident.
Reid Bentley