A Royal Caribbean employee has been found by two Newport Beach fishermen treading water 20 miles off the California coast after falling overboard.

The cruise ship worker was rescued Friday after being spotted by Sean Norton and Grant Garrett, who had been fishing for marlin that morning.

“I’m like, ‘Yeah, it’s a human being. Stop the boat. Let’s get all of our lines in,’” Garrett recalled in an interview with CBS Los Angeles.

The employee, whose name has not been revealed, told the fishermen he was a pianist on Royal Caribbean’s 14-deck Ovation of the Seas ship.

Norton said he and Grant lifted the man, adding that the pianist was “in total shock.”

“The only thing he said to me was, ‘Thank you. I thought I was gonna die,'” Norton said.

Once the man was safely out of the water, the fishermen put out an emergency call, and Newport Beach lifeguards responded.

Local authorities believe the man may have gone overboard roughly nine hours before he was found.

“It was approximately 15 to 20 miles offshore, pretty much in the middle of the ocean,” Newport Beach Lifeguard Battalion Chief Adam Yacenda told CBS LA.

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean acknowledged the incident, telling The Independent, “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.”

The rescue occurred during a particularly strong El Niño this fall that is keeping the Pacific Ocean warm off the coast of California.

“You have this crazy super El Niño year. This guy was in the water for probably 10 hours, but the water’s 76 degrees. A different year — no way he makes it,” Norton said.

The Coast Guard confirmed to The Independent that a “conscious individual” was rescued from the water. The man was reportedly hospitalized but is in stable condition, the Coast Guard said, adding that the incident is under investigation.

The Independent has reached out to the Newport Beach Fire Department for comment.