A crew member of the cruise ship Ovation of the Seas survived about nine hours in the Pacific Ocean. Two fishermen found him and pulled him out on Friday, 6 November 2026.
The man is 37 years old and works as a pianist on the ship. He was taken to hospital and is expected to survive, CBS Los Angeles reports. His name has not been made public.
What happened
The Ovation of the Seas is a large cruise ship of Royal Caribbean. It was sailing from Long Beach, California, to Ensenada in Mexico.
Two fishermen from Newport Beach were going home from a fishing trip near Catalina Island. Their boat's captain saw something in the water. It was a man.
They stopped the boat, took in their fishing lines and lifted him out. "He was in total shock," one of the fishermen told CBS.
The fishermen made an emergency radio call. Newport Beach lifeguards came and took the man ashore.
The lifeguards said he was about 15 to 20 miles (about 24 to 32 km) from the coast. They believe he went into the water at about 02:30 at night. That is about nine hours before he was found.
The US Coast Guard said a passer-by took a conscious person out of the water, the BBC reports. The Coast Guard is investigating how he went overboard.
One fisherman said the water was unusually warm, about 24 °C. He believes this helped the man survive.
Royal Caribbean said it is supporting the crew member. It gave no other details.
Not every crew member who falls into the sea is so lucky. Read how a Sri Lankan fisherman who fell overboard off Trincomalee was brought ashore by the navy.
What crews can do to prevent and survive a fall overboard
Falling overboard is one of the most dangerous things that can happen at sea. Most people are lost because nobody sees them fall.
Do not sit on or lean over the ship's rail, at sea or in port. Never climb outside the rail without a safety harness and a permit.
If you go out on open deck at night or alone, tell a colleague or the bridge. Do not go out in bad weather unless your work needs it.
Wear a lifejacket or a work vest when you work near the ship's side, on mooring decks or in boats.
If you see someone fall, shout "Man overboard" and the side, port or starboard. Throw a lifebuoy near the person.
Point at the person and keep watching them all the time. Tell the bridge at once by radio or phone, so the ship can turn back.
If you are in the water, stay calm and float on your back to save energy. Keep your clothes on, because they help keep you warm.
Raise one arm or wave when you see a boat or a plane. Do not try to swim after the ship.
Know the emergency numbers and support lines for seafarers. You can find them on Crewboard's useful links page.
Cruise ships also have medical emergencies among the crew. In October, a crew member was taken off the Costa Deliziosa near Trieste with heart problems.
Cover photo: The cruise ship Ovation of the Seas in Sydney, Australia, on 23 February 2025. Photo taken before this incident. Photo: Maxim75/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (cropped).
Sources: CBS Los Angeles: Newport Beach fishermen find Royal Caribbean cruise ship employee treading water 20 miles off coast (8 Nov 2026), BBC News: Cruise ship pianist rescued from sea after nine hours in Pacific Ocean (9 Nov 2026).
How we choose, write and correct our articles: editorial policy.
