Passenger Rescued After 20 Hours at Sea

A 44-year-old Salvadorian woman was rescued after spending about 20 hours in the Ionian Sea, according to the Greek coast guard. She had gone overboard from Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas early Friday while the ship was southwest of Zakynthos. The woman later told rescuers she jumped because “she wanted to disembark,” a coast guard spokesperson told AFP. After authorities received an alert, two coast guard boats and a navy helicopter searched the area, while nearby vessels were rerouted. Odyssey of the Seas also took part in the search. A passing freighter found the woman early Saturday, conscious and inside a life ring. A Greek coast guard patrol boat then picked her up. Coast guard video shows crew members throwing a rope to a woman floating in an orange life ring in the dark. The woman was taken to the port of Katakolo and then to a hospital in nearby Pyrgos for health tests. Those tests included a psychiatric evaluation ordered by a local prosecutor. Royal Caribbean says Odyssey of the Seas is 1,138 feet long, can accommodate 4,198 guests, and offers seasonal cruises to the Greek Isles. The article also recalls a separate incident from the previous year, when a man jumped from a Royal Caribbean ship near San Juan while it was disembarking during a U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspection. A criminal complaint alleged he was trying to avoid paying more than $16,000 in gambling debt to the cruise line. A passerby brought him ashore on a jet ski, and he was later charged with attempting to avoid monetary reporting requirements when traveling into the United States.

A 44-year-old Salvadoran woman was rescued after spending approximately 20 hours in the Ionian Sea after going overboard from Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas. The ship was sailing near the Greek island of Zakynthos on Saturday. According to the article, the woman stayed afloat by clinging to a lifebuoy in dark waters until the cargo ship MSC Rossella III spotted her and alerted authorities. A Greek Coast Guard crew then reached her, threw her ropes, and pulled her aboard. A Coast Guard spokesperson told Agence France-Presse that the woman said she had jumped from the cruise ship because she “wanted to disembark.” After the rescue, she was taken to the port of Katakolo and transported to a local hospital. The Hellenic Coast Guard said a prosecutor ordered a psychiatric evaluation. The article also reports that Greek authorities deployed a Coast Guard vessel and a military helicopter to search for her. Fox News said it sought comment from Royal Caribbean. The report places the incident alongside a separate event last year, when a man jumped from Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas in San Juan, Puerto Rico, reportedly in an attempt to evade nearly $17,000 in gambling debt. He survived and was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. The article’s central focus is the woman’s rescue and the response by the cargo ship and Greek authorities.

A 44-year-old passenger from El Salvador survived after spending nearly 20 hours in the Ionian Sea after going overboard from Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas near the Greek island of Zakynthos. The incident occurred early Friday, and she was found conscious early Saturday, according to Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A passing cargo ship spotted her first; rescuers later located her after noticing a flashing light on her life preserver. Hellenic Coast Guard footage shows responders throwing her a rope and pulling her aboard a patrol boat in the dark. A coast guard spokesperson told AFP that the woman said she had jumped because she wanted to disembark. After being rescued, she was taken from the port of Katakolo to a hospital for a medical examination. The article says she had been on a week-long cruise that departed from Civitavecchia, Italy, on October 4. Royal Caribbean Group said it immediately began a search-and-rescue effort and was working with authorities. The company also said its Care Team was supporting the passenger’s loved ones, but it would not provide further details to protect their privacy. Royal Caribbean did not immediately respond to the New York Post’s request for comment. Authorities are continuing to investigate the incident.