Fishermen pull exhausted crew member from Pacific Ocean
Three anglers rescued a Royal Caribbean employee who fell overboard near Catalina Island on Friday.
By Vanessa Lopez ·
Three fishermen hauled a conscious crew member from the Pacific Ocean on Friday, approximately 20 miles off the coast of Newport Beach, California. The men spotted the individual floating on his back in waters near Catalina Island and pulled him onto their boat. They described the man as depleted of energy upon their arrival.
The rescue occurred while the Royal Caribbean vessel was en route to Ensenada, having departed from San Pedro earlier that day. The U.S. Coast Guard stated that a Good Samaritan alerted authorities after recovering the conscious individual from the water. This report placed the rescue location roughly nine nautical miles northeast of Avalon Harbor.
Newport Beach lifeguards met the fishing boat to take custody of the rescued man. They transported him back to shore, where local hospital staff received him. Officials have not yet disclosed his specific medical condition or the events that caused him to fall overboard.
Royal Caribbean confirmed to ABC News that the rescued individual was an employee on the ship. The company said it is providing support and assistance to the crew member during this difficult time.
Authorities have not determined how long the man spent in the water before the fishermen found him. No additional details regarding the investigation or the man's recovery were available as of Friday.
