Royal Caribbean cruise ship pianist incredibly survives after plunging overboard 20 miles off California coast

A Royal Caribbean pianist was rescued after spending nearly nine hours treading water in the Pacific Ocean . Two Southern California fishermen spotted the man while returning from a fishing trip Friday.

Sean Norton and Grant Garrett, both of Newport Beach, were heading home from a morning of marlin fishing near Catalina Island when the boat's captain saw the man in the water around noon, nearly 20 miles off the coast, CBS LA reported .

Garrett said that when the man regained consciousness, he told them he was a pianist on the 14-deck Royal Caribbean cruise ship Ovation of the Seas.

"The only thing he said to me was, 'Thank you. I thought I was gonna die,'" Norton said, according to CBS LA.

After pulling him from the water, the crew sent out an emergency maritime call, and Newport Beach lifeguards responded to help.

"It was approximately 15 to 20 miles offshore, pretty much in the middle of the ocean," Battalion Chief Adam Yacenda said, CBS LA reported.

Officials believe he may have gone overboard from the ship about nine hours before he was found.

"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.

In September, Thomas Gigler, 56, was aboard the Carnival Panorama with his Michelle, when he went overboard as the ship sailed from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to Long Beach.

The couple, who lived in Redlands with their three sons, were reportedly celebrating their anniversary when Gigler disappeared. The computer programmer, who spent 24 years working for Esri, was presumed dead.

A passenger staying in a cabin near the Giglers told the Daily Mail that the family's accommodations were on the ship's second deck — meaning Gigler would have ascended roughly nine floors before reaching the 11th deck, where he is believed to have jumped.

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