Odyssey of the Seas Passenger Rescued After 20 Hours at Sea

A 44-year-old passenger from Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas was rescued alive off Greece early on October 10 after spending about 20 hours in the Ionian Sea. The woman, a national of El Salvador, was located during a search involving the cruise ship, Greek authorities and commercial vessels.

A flashing light attached to her lifebuoy helped the cargo ship MSC Rossella III locate her in the darkness and alert the Hellenic Coast Guard. A Coast Guard rescue vessel subsequently recovered her conscious from the water.

George Tsapras, a Greek Coast Guard spokesperson, said the woman told rescuers she had jumped because she “wanted to disembark.” Authorities have not publicly detailed the events leading up to her entry into the water or confirmed how she obtained the lifebuoy.

Air and sea search southwest of Zakynthos

The Bahamas-flagged cruise ship reported the passenger overboard on October 9 while sailing approximately 72 nautical miles southwest of Zakynthos. Theofanis Balatsoukas, another Hellenic Coast Guard spokesperson, told The New York Times that rescue authorities were alerted almost three hours after she entered the water.

The Coast Guard’s October 11 news release said emergency procedures were activated following the alert. Maritime authorities in Zakynthos, Katakolo and Pylos were notified, and the Hellenic Coast Guard’s Joint Search and Rescue Coordination Center coordinated the operation.

Two Coast Guard vessels and a Hellenic Air Force Super Puma helicopter joined the search, alongside merchant ships in the area. Odyssey of the Seas changed course and searched the surrounding waters. Passengers described the vessel repeatedly circling during the operation.

Coast Guard footage shows the woman floating inside an orange life ring as rescuers approach in darkness. Crew members throw her a rope, which she catches before being drawn toward the rescue vessel.

She received first aid aboard the Coast Guard vessel and was taken to Katakolo, on the western Peloponnese. An ambulance then transferred her to Andreas Papandreou General Hospital in nearby Pyrgos for observation and medical examinations. Her name has not been released.

Search leads to cancelled Naples call

Odyssey of the Seas was travelling from Mykonos toward Naples during a seven-night Greek Isles cruise that departed Civitavecchia, Italy, on October 4. The search forced the cancellation of the voyage’s final port call, scheduled for Naples on October 10. The vessel continued toward Civitavecchia, with its scheduled October 11 disembarkation unchanged. No disruption to the following seven-night Greek Isles sailing was announced.

Royal Caribbean Group confirmed that it had launched a search-and-rescue response and was cooperating with authorities. In a statement issued before the rescue was confirmed, the company said: “Our Care Team is actively providing support and assistance to the guest’s loved ones during this difficult time.” It declined to provide further details, citing the privacy of the passenger and her family.

The Katakolo Port Authority is conducting a preliminary investigation into the incident. A local prosecutor has also ordered a psychiatric evaluation as part of the woman’s subsequent assessment.