Two fishermen pulled a crew member from Ovation of the Seas out of the Pacific Ocean off Catalina Island on Friday after he spent nearly nine hours in the water. Sean Norton and Grant Garrett spotted the man about 15 to 20 miles offshore as they headed back to shore, stopped their boat, and brought him aboard. The man told them he was a pianist on Ovation of the Seas.
Newport Beach lifeguards met the fishing boat and took the man to a hospital, where he is expected to survive. Lifeguard officials believe he went overboard at about 2:30 a.m. Friday. The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating how he ended up in the ocean, and his identity has not been released.
What it means for your sailing: this was a crew incident, not a guest or itinerary event, and no schedule change has been announced for Ovation of the Seas. If you are booked on an upcoming Ovation sailing, there is nothing to do differently right now. The Coast Guard investigation is ongoing.
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