A HOLLYWOOD screenwriter who parachuted from a malfunctioning aircraft during a flying lesson spent more than 90 minutes in shark-infested waters off California.

His instructor, who also baled out, was found dead in the water. Milo Addica, 42, was picked up by a pleasure boat and treated for hypothermia.

The pair had been flying a Robin light aircraft from the California Flight School in San Diego to Catalina Island, about 20 miles from Los Angeles.

Mr Addica co-wrote and acted in Monster’s Ball, the 2002 film which won an Oscar for Halle Berry. He is due to attend the screening of his latest film, The King — starring William Hurt and Gael Garcia Bernal — at The Times bfi London Film Festival next month.

The pilot made a distress call when the aircraft was at 1,000ft and coming into land at the island last Wednesday. Coastguard patrol boats and helicopters began searching the waters and discovered the pilot lying face down in the water.

Mr Addica had spent more than an hour and a half in the Pacific, before being rescued by a passing boat. He was then picked up by the coastguard, flown to the Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, where he was found to be suffering from mild hypothermia and released later that day. Tony Migliorini, a coastguard spokesman, said it was remarkable that the screenwriter suffered no injury. He said that he had never heard of someone surviving after parachuting from such a small plane at such a low height.

He said: “They tried to jump out of the plane with parachutes. The passenger landed safely but unfortunately the pilot died.

“We are not sure exactly how long the survivor was in the water but he estimates it was about one hour and a half. He was fine, he was in great shape. The pilot called in a mayday. We sent a helicopter into the area and discovered the pilot.

“They had some sort of engine problem. We are not sure exactly what the problem was. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating and interviewing the survivor to try and find out what happened.” Shark dives are frequently organised at Catalina Island and the area attracts species including mako sharks, which have been known to attack humans.

A 50-year-old man was decapitated by a shark last August while diving for abalone near Fort Bragg, California.

Mr Addica, 42, studied theatre at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, before acting in plays off Broadway. In one of these he met Will Rokos, with whom he co-wrote and co-produced Monster’s Ball. He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990s and appeared in televisions shows, including LA Law and Thirtysomething. Mr Addica also co-wrote the film Birth, which starred Nicole Kidman.

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