Cruise ship pianist rescued after 9 hours at sea

A cruise ship pianist was rescued after drifting at sea for nine hours, according to US media reports. The 37-year-old man fell overboard from the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Ovation of the Seas, which was en route to Mexico. The identity of the pianist has not been disclosed. Two fishermen, Grant Garrett and Sean Norton, spotted the man in the Pacific Ocean, around 30 kilometers off the coast of California, and immediately launched a rescue effort.

The fishermen called out to the man, who was in a state of shock and thanked them before they lifted him aboard their boat. A maritime emergency call was made, and a group of lifeguards from Newport Beach responded to the scene. The fishermen believe the pianist's survival can be attributed to the mild ocean temperatures influenced by the El Nino effect.

The incident occurred around 2:30 am on Friday, and the pianist was subsequently hospitalized but is not facing any life-threatening conditions.