A 44-year-old passenger from Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas was rescued alive after spending approximately 20 hours in the Ionian Sea, southwest of the Greek island of Zakynthos. The woman, a national of El Salvador, was located early on Saturday 10 October 2026 by the cargo ship MSC Rossella III during a coordinated search. She was conscious inside a circular lifebuoy and was subsequently recovered by the Hellenic Coast Guard.
Passenger reported overboard on 9 October
The Hellenic Coast Guard said authorities were notified on the morning of Friday 9 October that a 44-year-old woman had entered the sea from a Bahamas-flagged cruise ship approximately 72 nautical miles southwest of Zakynthos. The vessel was identified in subsequent reporting as Royal Caribbean International’s Odyssey of the Seas, travelling from Mykonos towards Naples. The circumstances in which the woman entered the water have not been established in the Coast Guard’s published statement.
Cargo ship MSC Rossella III helps locate passenger
The search involved a Coast Guard rescue vessel, a patrol boat, merchant ships in the area and a Hellenic Air Force Super Puma helicopter. Searchers initially located a light associated with a circular lifebuoy. In the early hours of Saturday, the Madeira-flagged cargo ship MSC Rossella III, which was assisting the operation, located the woman conscious inside a lifebuoy approximately 70 nautical miles southwest of Zakynthos. A Coast Guard rescue vessel recovered her and provided first aid.
Passenger taken to hospital
The rescue vessel brought the woman to Katakolo, where an ambulance transferred her to the Andreas Papandreou General Hospital in Pyrgos for observation and examinations. The official Coast Guard statement confirms that she was conscious when found but does not provide a detailed medical assessment.
Royal Caribbean responds
Royal Caribbean Group said it had immediately launched a search and rescue operation and was working with authorities. In a statement reported by USA Today, the company said its care team was supporting the passenger’s loved ones and declined to provide further personal details out of respect for their privacy. Reporting indicates that Odyssey of the Seas cancelled its scheduled Naples call after taking part in the search.
Investigation continues
The Katakolo Port Authority is conducting a preliminary investigation. Although media reports have described possible reasons for the woman entering the water, the official Coast Guard statement does not establish her intentions or how she obtained the lifebuoy. Deck7 will update this report if authorities release further verified findings.
Frequently asked questions
When did the incident happen?
The passenger was reported overboard on Friday 9 October 2026.
When was she rescued?
She was found in the early hours of Saturday 10 October, after approximately 20 hours at sea.
Where was she found?
Approximately 70 nautical miles southwest of Zakynthos, Greece, in the Ionian Sea.
Who located her?
The crew of the cargo ship MSC Rossella III located her; a Hellenic Coast Guard vessel recovered her.
Was she taken to hospital?
Yes. She was transported from Katakolo to the Andreas Papandreou General Hospital in Pyrgos for medical observation and examinations.
Was the Naples port call cancelled?
Yes, according to reporting on the itinerary disruption following the search.
Why did she enter the water?
The official Coast Guard statement does not establish the circumstances. A preliminary investigation is under way.