What began as an ordinary day of fishing took an unexpected turn when Sean Norton and Grant Garrett came across a 37-year-old man treading water nearly 20 miles off the coast in the middle of the Pacific Ocean – and sprang into action to save him.
The fishermen from Newport Beach were heading back from a fishing trip near Catalina Island on Friday when they spotted a Royal Caribbean crew member struggling to stay afloat.
Garret told CBS News: “I’m like, ‘Yeah, it’s a human being. Stop the boat; let’s get all of our lines in. ‘”
“Grant and I each got an arm and lifted him up,” Norton explained. “He was in total shock.”
Garrett said the man identified himself as a pianist aboard the 14-deck Royal Caribbean cruise ship Ovation of the Seas after regaining consciousness. The ship was sailing from Long Beach to Ensenada, Mexico.
“The only thing he said to me was, ‘Thank you. I thought I was gonna die,'” Norton told CBS.
“Pretty much in the middle of the ocean”
After rescuing the man, the fishermen issued an emergency maritime call, prompting Newport Beach lifeguards to respond and provide assistance.
“It was approximately 15 to 20 miles offshore, pretty much in the middle of the ocean,” Battalion Chief Adam Yacenda explained, according to CBS News.
They suspect he fell overboard around 2:30 a.m., approximately nine hours before the fishermen found him.
The man was later hospitalized, and is expected to survive.
A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean Group said: “We are providing support and assistance to our crew member during this difficult time. To respect the privacy of our employee, we have no additional details to share.”
Norton believes the unusually warm ocean temperatures may have played a crucial role in the man’s survival. He pointed to the impact of a strong El Niño year, which had raised water temperatures.
“You have this crazy super El Niño year. This guy was in the water for probably 10 hours, but the water’s 76 degrees,” Norton said. “A different year, no way he makes it.”
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