Make California Post a Preferred Source The Southern California fishermen who rescued a Royal Caribbean pianist after he spent nearly 10 hours treading water in the Pacific Ocean have opened up to “Good Morning America” about the dramatic ordeal.
Grant Garrett, Sean Norton and Keith McDonnell were returning from a fishing trip off Newport Beach when they spotted something unusual floating in the ocean. As they approached, they realized it was a man, and that he was still alive.
Norton recalled one of the first things the man said after being pulled to safety: “One of the first things he really said was, ‘Thank you, I thought I was going to die,’” he told “GMA.”
The man, who worked as a pianist aboard Royal Caribbean‘s Ovation of the Seas, had reportedly been struggling to stay afloat for nearly 10 hours after going overboard.
“He really had nothing left physically,” Garrett told “GMA.” “It was clear to us that he was near death,” Norton added.
The three men quickly pulled the exhausted cruise ship employee onto their boat, potentially saving his life.
“As many years as we’ve been in the water, I don’t know anybody’s who’s ever found a live human being floating around in the water,” Norton told “GMA.”
The fishermen contacted authorities, prompting Newport Beach lifeguards to respond and assist with the rescue.
Adam Yacenda, a Newport Beach lifeguard battalion chief, explained to “GMA” that surviving for hours in the open ocean can expose a person to several potentially life-threatening conditions.
“You’re dealing with possibly hypothermia, possibly dehydration, sun exposure,” Yacenda said.
The fisherman’s captain aboard their boat spotted the man around noon, nearly 20 miles off the Southern California coast, according to CBS Los Angeles.
After regaining consciousness, the man told his rescuers he worked as a pianist aboard the 14-deck Ovation of the Seas.
Officials believe he may have fallen overboard roughly nine hours before the fishermen discovered him.
Royal Caribbean has declined to publicly identify the employee, citing concerns about his privacy.
“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,” a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson told The California Post in an email.
Despite being credited with saving the man’s life, Garrett insisted that he and his fellow fishermen were simply doing what anyone should do when encountering someone in danger.
“I think we were doing what any human would do in that situation. People are calling us heroes or whatever. No, we were doing a basic human thing,” Garrett told “GMA.”
The extraordinary rescue comes less than two months after another cruise ship passenger disappeared off the California coast.
In September, Thomas Gigler, 56, went overboard from the Carnival Panorama while traveling with his wife Michelle from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Long Beach.
The Redlands couple, who had three sons, were reportedly celebrating their wedding anniversary when Gigler vanished.
Gigler, a computer programmer who had worked for Esri for 24 years, was presumed dead.
A fellow passenger staying near the couple’s cabin told the Daily Mail that the Giglers were accommodated on the ship’s second deck.
The passenger said Gigler would have had to climb approximately nine floors to reach the 11th deck, where he is believed to have gone overboard.
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