Woman Rescued After 20 Hours in Ionian Sea

A woman rescued after 20 hours in the Ionian Sea was confirmed by the Greek coastguard. This occurred when she allegedly jumped off the cruise ship Odyssey of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean Cruises.

The incident unfolded early on Friday as the ship sailed southwest of Zakynthos. The 44-year-old Salvadorian woman reportedly explained that her leap was an attempt to disembark. According to a coastguard spokesperson, she survived 20 hours at sea.

Following an alert on Friday, a search ensued involving two coastguard boats, a navy helicopter, and other rerouted ships. The Odyssey of the Seas also assisted in this effort. Eventually, a passing freighter found the woman conscious in a life ring on Saturday morning. A Greek coastguard patrol boat rescued her. Recovered footage displays rescuers tossing a rope to her as she floated in the dark.

The woman was taken to Katakolo port and subsequently to Pyrgos hospital. There, health evaluations including a psychiatric assessment were conducted, as directed by a local prosecutor.

In a separate incident last year, an individual jumped off a Royal Caribbean cruise near San Juan to dodge a $16,000 gambling debt. Jey Gonzalez-Diaz reportedly leaped as the ship disembarked during a U.S. Customs inspection. A jet ski rider retrieved him, leading to charges of evading U.S. monetary reporting requirements.