Cruise Passenger Rescued After 20 Hours Adrift at Sea

Greek coast guards successfully rescued a female cruise ship passenger who spent approximately 20 hours floating in the sea off the coast of Zante. The 44-year-old woman, from El Salvador, reportedly jumped from the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Odyssey of the Seas early Friday morning.

Officials stated that the woman grabbed a lifebuoy before intentionally jumping off the 167,704 gross-ton vessel around 6 a.m. as it was sailing from Mykonos to Naples, Italy. The ship's crew immediately alerted Greek coast guards, who deployed two vessels and a navy helicopter to aid in the search. The Odyssey of the Seas also participated in the search operation.

After nearly 20 hours in the water, a nearby passenger ferry spotted the woman early Saturday morning, approximately 70 miles off the coast of Zante. She was subsequently rescued by a coastal patrol boat. Footage released by the Hellenic Coast Guard depicted the boat approaching the woman, who was clinging to a lifebuoy. In the video, a crew member asks if she is okay before another throws a rope to assist her in pulling herself towards the vessel.

Passengers on board the cruise ship also observed the rescue efforts, with some seen peering over the side of the ship as a smaller craft searched for the woman. An American passenger named Bob Butler reported that the crew on the craft initially had difficulty locating her.

Local media indicated that passengers were informed of the overboard incident around 10 a.m. on Friday. Audio recordings from that time captured the captain informing travelers about the situation. He stated the ship had turned around and was cooperating with the Greek Coast Guard to find the woman, emphasizing that her life was the priority.

Later, the captain updated passengers, confirming that the woman had been found and taken to the hospital, noting she was able to walk off the boat herself. Local reports state she was transported to the port town of Katakolo and then to a hospital in Pyrgos. Local prosecutors have ordered medical examinations, including a psychiatric evaluation, for the woman.

The Odyssey of the Seas had to cancel its final port of call in Naples to dedicate resources to the search and rescue operation. The ship was on the final leg of a seven-night Mediterranean cruise that included stops in Santorini, Kusadasi, Turkey, and Naples.

According to the Cruise Lines International Association, 212 individuals went overboard from cruise ships between 2009 and 2019, with only 22.6 percent successfully rescued. Royal Caribbean has been contacted for comment.