A 44-year-old woman from El Salvador, who fell from the cruise ship "Odyssey of the Seas" (167,704 GT) on October 9, 2026, was rescued by the Greek Coast Guard after being in the water for 20 hours. The incident occurred while the cruise ship was en route from Mykonos to Naples.
Details of the Incident
According to reports, the woman jumped into the sea around 06:00 AM on October 9. The cruise ship, flying the Bahamian flag, is 1,138 feet (347 meters) long and has a capacity of about 4,200 passengers, and was located approximately 72 nautical miles southwest of Zakynthos. No further information about the circumstances of her fall has been released, but unofficial reports suggest that she was wearing a life jacket from the ship.
After the incident, the cruise ship began searching the area, and the Greek Coast Guard dispatched two patrol boats and a helicopter to assist in the search operation. The Greek Air Force also sent a plane to the area for search efforts. The Coast Guard notified other vessels in the area to participate in the search.
Rescue and Its Aftermath
The container ship "MSC Rossella III" (38,771 dwt) assisted in the search operation on Saturday morning after spotting a flashing light attached to the life jacket. The ship, which was traveling from Piraeus to Giola Tauro in Italy, immediately informed the Coast Guard upon seeing a person in the water.
A Coast Guard patrol boat arrived at the scene and provided first aid to the woman after identifying her. She was then transferred to the shore and taken to the hospital. Unofficial reports from passengers on the ship indicate that the woman was traveling with family members. Due to this incident, the cruise ship was forced to cancel its scheduled stop in Naples to participate in the search.
