Fishermen Rescue Ovation of the Seas Crew Member Off California
Ovation of the Seas returned to Los Angeles from Catalina Island and Ensenada that morning, then embarked new passengers for a three-night sailing.
Two Newport Beach fishermen rescued a Royal Caribbean crew member around noon Friday after finding him treading water nearly 20 miles off Southern California. The man, who told his rescuers he was a pianist aboard Ovation of the Seas, was hospitalized and is expected to survive, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Authorities believe he may have gone overboard roughly nine hours before he was found, although the timing remains unconfirmed. The Coast Guard is investigating how he entered the water.
Royal Caribbean acknowledged the incident. “We are providing support and assistance to our crew member during this difficult time,” a company spokesperson told The Independent. The spokesperson added: “To respect the privacy of our employee, we have no additional details to share.”
Fishermen spotted the man on their return trip
Sean Norton and Grant Garrett were heading home after a morning fishing for marlin near Catalina Island when their boat’s captain spotted the man in the ocean.
“I'm like, ‘Yeah, it's a human being. Stop the boat; let's get all of our lines in,’” Garrett told CBS Los Angeles, recalling the moment they realized someone was in the water.
Norton said he and Garrett each grabbed one of the man’s arms and pulled him aboard. He described the crew member as being in shock after the rescue.
“The only thing he said to me was, ‘Thank you. I thought I was gonna die,’” Norton said.
The fishing crew then issued an emergency maritime call, bringing Newport Beach lifeguards to assist. The Coast Guard separately confirmed to The Independent that the person rescued was conscious.
Norton estimated the water temperature at 76 degrees Fahrenheit and said he believed the unusually warm conditions helped the man survive.
Los Angeles turnaround proceeded without disruption
Ovation of the Seas had returned to Los Angeles that morning after a four-night voyage calling at Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico. Passengers disembarked as scheduled at 7 a.m., several hours before the fishermen found the crew member. The ship embarked new passengers later that day for a three-night sailing with a call at Ensenada.
The crew member’s name, age and nationality have not been disclosed, and details of any injuries remain unknown.
