Fishermen pulled a Royal Caribbean crew member from the Pacific off Southern California on Friday after he went overboard from a cruise ship, officials and the company said^2,5,8,9.

The man told rescuers he was a pianist on Ovation of the Seas, according to the fishermen and the BBC^2,8. The ship had left San Pedro bound for Ensenada when he went overboard, ABC7 Los Angeles and ABC11 reported^5,9.

Sean Norton and Grant Garrett were returning from a marlin trip near Catalina Island when they spotted him, CBS News and a KTLA report carried by WGN said^4,8. CBS News quoted Norton saying, "The only thing he said to me was, 'Thank you. I thought I was gonna die'"⁸.

The U.S. Coast Guard said a Good Samaritan recovered a conscious person from the water and that Newport Beach lifeguards took him ashore^2,5,9. The Coast Guard placed the recovery about 9 nautical miles northeast of Avalon Harbor^5,9. Newport Beach Lifeguard Battalion Chief Adam Yacenda told CBS the location was about 15 to 20 miles offshore⁸.

Lifeguard officials believe he may have fallen overboard around 2:30 a.m., about nine hours before he was found, the BBC reported, citing U.S. accounts^2,8. ABC stations said it was not immediately known how long he had been in the water^5,9.

The Coast Guard told the BBC he was taken to a hospital in stable condition². CBS News said the Coast Guard expected him to survive⁸. ABC7 and ABC11 said his condition had not been disclosed^5,9.

How he went overboard has not been explained, and the Coast Guard is investigating^2,4,8. His name has not been released^2,8.

A Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson told the BBC the company was supporting the crew member and would share no further details to respect privacy^2,5,9.

Norton told CBS News ocean water was about 76 degrees and credited that warmth with the man's survival⁸. The BBC linked those comments to a strong El Niño in the Pacific².