Cruise Pianist Rescued After 9 Hours Overboard, Rescuer Suggests El Nino Linked To Survival

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) AFP

Los Angeles, United States: Two fishermen rescued a cruise ship pianist who had been drifting in the Pacific Ocean for nine hours, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) off California's coast, according to US media reports.

The circumstances under which the 37-year-old man fell overboard from the "Ovation of the Seas," a Royal Caribbean ship bound for Mexico, are unknown, CBS News reported.

The man, whose identity wasn't released, was hospitalized and is not in a life-threatening condition, according to the US Coast Guard.

In the incident, which occurred on Friday, two fishermen -- Grant Garrett and Sean Norton -- were returning from marlin fishing near Santa Catalina Island, which is part of Los Angeles County, when they spotted the man in the open sea.

Garrett recounted the rescue to CBS, saying he called out "that's a human being. Let's stop the boat."

"Grant and I each got an arm and lifted him up, and he was in total shock," Norton said. "The only thing he said to me was, 'Thank you. I thought I was going to die.'"

The fishermen put out an emergency maritime call, and a group of Newport Beach lifeguards responded. They believe the man fell overboard around 2:30 am Friday.

Norton suggested the pianist may have been able to survive for so long because of the exceptionally mild ocean temperature due to the El Nino effect.

"A different year, no way he makes it," he said.

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