A Royal Caribbean cruise ship pianist is recovering after a dramatic rescue from the Pacific Ocean, roughly 20 miles off the coast of California. The man, whose identity has not been released, was found treading water near Catalina Island on Friday, according to US media reports. Officials believe he had been in the water for approximately nine hours.

Rescue by Fishermen

Two fishermen, Grant Garrett and Sean Norton, spotted the man and pulled him aboard their vessel. Recalling the moment, Garrett said, "I'm like, 'Yeah, it's a human being. Stop the boat; let's get all of our lines in.'" The fishermen reported that the man identified himself as a pianist on the Ovation of the Seas, a 14-deck cruise ship. Norton recounted the man's first words: "The only thing he said to me was, 'Thank you. I thought I was gonna die.'"

Coast Guard and Lifeguard Response

The US Coast Guard confirmed it received a report from "a Good Samaritan who recovered a conscious individual from the water." The man was handed over to Newport Beach Lifeguards, who verified he was an employee of the Ovation of the Seas. Lifeguard officials suspect he fell overboard around 02:30 local time, about nine hours before his discovery. Newport Beach Lifeguard Battalion Chief Adam Yacenda told CBS, "It was approximately 15 to 20 miles offshore, pretty much in the middle of the ocean." The man was taken to a hospital and is in stable condition. The Coast Guard is investigating the incident.

Unusually Warm Water Aids Survival

Norton attributed the man's survival to unusually warm ocean 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," he said, which is about 24C. "A different year, no way he makes it." Scientists monitoring the Pacific have confirmed that the developing El Niño is the strongest on record, with ocean temperatures about 3.05C above average.

Royal Caribbean Responds

In a statement to the BBC, a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson 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." The incident remains under investigation.