Greek authorities rescue woman after cruise ship overboard incident

A 44-year-old woman from El Salvador was rescued alive after spending nearly 20 hours in the Ionian Sea following an overboard incident from Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas. The emergency began on Friday, October 9, while the Bahamas-flagged cruise ship was traveling from Mykonos toward Naples.

The rescue operation involved the Hellenic Coast Guard, a Greek Air Force helicopter, and several commercial vessels. The woman was spotted in the early hours of Saturday, October 10, approximately 70 nautical miles southwest of Zakynthos. Rescuers were able to locate her thanks to the flashing light on her lifebelt, which was detected by the crew of the cargo ship ‘MSC ROSSELLA III’.

Upon being recovered, the woman was conscious and provided with first aid by the Coast Guard before being transported to the port of Katakolo. She was subsequently taken to a hospital in Pyrgos for medical observation and treatment for hypothermia. The exact circumstances regarding how the woman went overboard remain under investigation by the Katakolo Port Authority.