A 44-year-old Salvadorian woman jumped from the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Odyssey of the Seas early on Friday while it was sailing southwest of the Greek island of Zakynthos. She remained adrift in the Ionian Sea for about 20 hours before being found and rescued.
Greek Coast Guard Coordinates Extensive Search Operation
The Greek coast guard launched a coordinated rescue effort after receiving an alert early Friday. Two coast guard boats and a navy helicopter were dispatched to the area. Nearby vessels were rerouted to assist, and the Odyssey of the Seas itself joined the search operation.
Multiple assets worked together in the extensive search for the
woman throughout the day and night following her disappearance.
Passenger Rescued and Transferred to Medical Care
A passing freighter located the woman early on Saturday clinging to a lifebuoy and conscious. A Greek coast guard patrol boat retrieved her from the sea and transported her to the port of Katakolo.
She was then transferred to a hospital in the city of Pyrgos for health examinations, which included a psychiatric evaluation ordered by a local prosecutor.
According to the Greek coast guard, the woman told rescuers she jumped into the sea because she wanted to disembark. Authorities confirmed she was at sea for about 20 hours before her
recovery.
