A chance sighting far from land
Two Newport Beach fishermen, Sean Norton and Grant Garrett, set out Friday morning to fish for marlin near Catalina Island. By midday, their trip had turned into a rescue, according to CBS News. On the way home, they came across a man staying afloat in the Pacific, nearly 20 miles from the coast.
Garrett told the outlet that the boat's captain was the first to notice the figure in the water. Garrett recalled his own reaction as a realization that it was a person, followed by a call to stop the boat and bring in all of their fishing lines.
Norton said he and Garrett each took one of the man's arms and hauled him aboard. He described the man as being in total shock at that point.
Who the man is and what he told his rescuers
Garrett said that once the man regained awareness, he explained that he worked as a pianist on the Ovation of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship with 14 decks. Norton said the only thing the man told him was a thank-you, along with the statement that he had believed he was going to die.
The man has not been publicly identified. CBS News did not report any further details about his background or his condition beyond the fact that he was hospitalized.
The emergency response
After getting the man out of the water, the fishermen's crew sent out an emergency call over maritime channels. A group of Newport Beach lifeguards answered and went to help.
Battalion Chief Adam Yacenda described the location as roughly 15 to 20 miles offshore and said it was pretty much in the middle of the ocean. Responders believe the man may have gone overboard about nine hours before the fishermen found him.
The U.S. Coast Guard said he was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive.
Warm water may have made the difference
Norton pointed to ocean conditions as a major factor in the outcome. He noted that this is a very strong El Niño year and estimated the man had been in the water for about 10 hours. The water temperature, he said, was 76 degrees.
Norton added that in a different year, there would have been no way the man could have survived. Cold water generally saps body heat much faster than warm water, which is why temperature so often decides the outcome for people lost at sea.
Investigation and the cruise line's response
The Coast Guard is investigating the incident, including how the man came to be in the water. Officials have not said publicly what led to him going overboard, and the source reporting does not describe any cause.
In a statement to CBS LA, a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson said the company is providing support and assistance to the crew member during what it called a difficult time. The spokesperson said the company would not share additional details, citing respect for the employee's privacy.
