Woman Rescued After Spending 20 Hours in Ionian Sea Following Incident Aboard Cruise Ship

Odyssey of the Seas - Photographer: Rui Santos - ShipSpotting.com

A 44-year-old woman from El Salvador has been rescued after spending approximately 20 hours in the Ionian Sea after reportedly jumping overboard from Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas, according to the Greek coastguard.

The incident occurred on Friday morning while the cruise ship was sailing southwest of the Greek island of Zakynthos. The coastguard reported the circumstances on Monday.

According to a spokesperson for the Greek coastguard, the woman said she had jumped from the vessel because “she wanted to disembark,” AFP reported.

Cargo ship locates woman during search operation

The search operation continued for hours before the MSC Rossella III, a cargo ship flying the flag of Madeira that participated in the search, located the woman.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Greek coastguard said it initially spotted an overturned circular lifebuoy during the operation. In the early hours of Sunday, the 44-year-old woman was found conscious inside the lifebuoy by the cargo vessel.

“She was 20 hours at sea,” a coastguard spokesperson told AFP. After the discovery, a search-and-rescue vessel retrieved the woman, provided first aid, and transported her to a hospital for further treatment.

Search efforts in the Ionian Sea

The rescue highlights the importance of coordination between commercial vessels and maritime rescue authorities during search-and-rescue operations.

The MSC Rossella III was among the vessels involved in the search for the missing woman and ultimately located her after an extended period in the water.

The Greek coastguard has not provided further details about the woman’s condition following her hospitalization.

The Odyssey of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean International, is a Quantum Ultra-class cruise ship that operates itineraries across multiple regions.