The Hellenic Coast Guard has reported a remarkable rescue of a 44-year-old woman from El Salvador who jumped overboard from the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Odyssey of the Seas, in the Ionian Sea. The incident occurred early on October 9 while the ship was en route from Mykonos to Naples, approximately 72 nautical miles southwest of Zakynthos. The woman spent nearly 20 hours in the water before being found conscious, albeit suffering from mild hypothermia.
The cruise ship’s crew initiated a search after the woman reportedly went overboard around 0600, equipped with a life preserver. The Hellenic Coast Guard responded quickly, deploying two patrol boats, a helicopter, and an aircraft from the Hellenic Air Force to assist in the search efforts. Nearby vessels were also alerted to keep an eye out for the missing passenger.
A containership, MSC Rossella III, spotted a flashing light from the life preserver early Saturday morning and promptly notified the Coast Guard. Following the information provided by the containership, a Coast Guard patrol boat located the woman, administered first aid, and transported her to shore for further medical attention. Passengers aboard the cruise ship reported that she was traveling with family, and the cruise had to cancel its scheduled Naples port call to aid in the search.
