Cruise ship employee found by fishermen treading water 20 miles off the California coast

A Royal Caribbean employee has been found by two Newport Beach fishermen treading water 20 miles off the California coast.The cruise ship worker was rescued Friday after being spotted by Sean Norton and Grant Garrett, who had been fishing for marlin that morning. "I'm like, 'Yeah, it's a human being. Stop the boat. Let's get all of our lines in,’” Garrett recalled in an interview with CBS Los Angeles.The employee, whose name has not been revealed, told the fishermen he was a pianist on Royal Caribbean’s 14-deck Ovation of the Seas ship. Norton said he and Grant lifted the man, adding that the pianist was “in total shock.”A Royal Caribbean employee was found Friday by two Newport Beach fishermen treading water 20 miles off the California coast (Getty Images)"The only thing he said to me was, 'Thank you. I thought I was gonna die,'" Norton said. Once the man was safely out of the water, the fishermen put out an emergency call, and Newport Beach lifeguards responded. Local authorities believe the man may have gone overboard roughly nine hours before he was found. "It was approximately 15 to 20 miles offshore, pretty much in the middle of the ocean,” Newport Beach Lifeguard Battalion Chief Adam Yacenda told CBS LA. A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean acknowledged the incident, telling The Independent, “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." Local authorities believe the man may have gone overboard roughly nine hours before he was found. He was hospitalized but is expected to survive, according to the Coast Guard (Getty Images)The rescue occurred during a particularly strong El Niño this fall that is keeping the Pacific Ocean warm off the coast of California."You have this crazy super El Niño year. This guy was in the water for probably 10 hours, but the water's 76 degrees. A different year — no way he makes it,” Norton said. The man was hospitalized but is expected to survive, CBS LA reported, citing the Coast Guard. His current condition is unclear. The Coast Guard is investigating the incident. The Independent has reached out to the Coast Guard and the Newport Beach Fire Department for comment.