A woman fell overboard from Royal Caribbean Cruises’ ship Odyssey of the Seas early on Friday while sailing in the Ionian Sea southwest of the Greek island of Zakynthos. She remained in the water for nearly 20 hours before being rescued, according to the Greek coast guard.
Rescue Operation Details
The Greek coast guard initiated the search by deploying two boats and a navy helicopter. Additional nearby vessels, including the Odyssey of the Seas, were rerouted to assist in the operation. A passing freighter located the woman alive inside an orange life ring early on Saturday. She was picked up by a coast
guard patrol boat and transported to the port of Katakolo.
Passenger Follow-Up and Statements
After her rescue, the woman was sent to a hospital in Pyrgos for medical evaluation. A local prosecutor ordered psychiatric testing. The coast guard reported that the woman told rescuers she jumped overboard because she wanted to disembark from the cruise ship.
Ship Information and Incident Context
The Odyssey of the Seas is a Royal Caribbean cruise ship measuring 1,138 feet in length with a guest capacity of 4,198. It operates seasonal cruises throughout the Greek Isles. The incident adds to previous cases of passengers going overboard from Royal Caribbean vessels in various regions.
