A 44-year-old Salvadoran woman was rescued after spending roughly 20 hours in the Ionian Sea following an overboard incident aboard Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas, according to statements from Greek authorities cited in the report.
The ship was sailing near the Greek island of Zakynthos on Saturday, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs told USA Today. The woman remained afloat by holding onto a lifebuoy, according to the Hellenic Coast Guard.
The cargo vessel MSC Rossella III was involved in the search and spotted the woman in the water. The ship alerted authorities, and a Greek Coast Guard crew reached her and used ropes to bring her aboard safely. The account does not specify where or when she went overboard.
A Coast Guard spokesperson told Agence France-Presse that the woman said she had jumped from the ship because she “wanted to disembark.” The spokesperson also said she had been at sea for 20 hours. The supplied information does not give further details about the circumstances behind her decision.
After the rescue, she was taken to the port of Katakolo and transported to a local hospital. The Hellenic Coast Guard said a prosecutor ordered a psychiatric evaluation. The account does not report the result of that evaluation or provide further information about her condition.
Fox News Digital said it had contacted Royal Caribbean for comment; the supplied report did not include a response from the company.
The article also referred to a separate incident the previous year involving a passenger who jumped from Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It said that passenger survived and was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. That earlier event was distinct from the rescue near Zakynthos.
