Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
A 37-year-old musician working as a pianist on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Ovation of the Seas survived a fall overboard and spent about nine hours in the Pacific Ocean, 32 km off the California coast near Catalina Island.
The man was spotted and rescued on Friday by two marlin fishermen who immediately raised the alarm. A group of lifeguards from Newport Beach then stepped in to provide first aid. The pianist was taken to hospital: although the Coast Guard is investigating the circumstances of the incident, his condition is not a cause for concern and he is expected to make a full recovery.
According to the rescuers, the weather was the saving factor: the exceptional “super El Niño” phenomenon had made the water unusually warm, reaching about 24 °C. As one of the fishermen pointed out, in a year with normal temperatures, spending so many hours in the sea would have left him no chance. The cruise company said it stands by its employee and wishes to respect his privacy at this difficult time.
