A cruise passenger who went overboard far from the Greek island of Zakynthos was found alive the following morning, conscious inside a lifebuoy. A cargo ship participating in the search spotted the 44-year-old in the Ionian Sea.
The Hellenic Coast Guard announced the rescue on October 11, 2026. Port services had been alerted on Friday morning, October 9, that the Salvadoran passenger had gone overboard approximately 72 nautical miles southwest of Zakynthos.
She was traveling aboard Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas, USA Today reported, citing Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Coast Guard’s announcement identified the vessel as a cruise ship flying the Bahamas flag. USA Today placed the passenger aboard a weeklong voyage that departed Civitavecchia, Italy, on October 4, citing the ship-tracking service CruiseMapper.
Royal Caribbean Group told USA Today that it immediately launched a search and rescue effort and was working with the responding services. The company also said its care team was providing support and assistance to the passenger’s loved ones, while withholding additional details to protect the family’s privacy.
Into the Night
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After the alert reached the port services of Zakynthos, Katakolo, and Pylos through Greece’s search and rescue coordination center, the local emergency plan was activated. A Coast Guard rescue vessel and patrol vessel joined passing ships in the search, with a Hellenic Air Force Super Puma helicopter assisting from above.
A light associated with a circular lifebuoy was initially located. In the early hours of Saturday, October 10, the Madeira-flagged cargo ship MSC Rossella III found the passenger conscious inside the lifebuoy.
In its description of the Coast Guard’s rescue footage, PEOPLE reported that someone called, “Are you okay?” as a rope was thrown toward her. She grabbed the rope and began pulling herself toward the vessel.
Back on Land
A Coast Guard rescue vessel picked her up and provided first aid, then brought her to the port of Katakolo on mainland Greece. An ambulance transported her to Andreas Papandreou General Hospital in Pyrgos for medical observation and examinations.
The Katakolo Port Authority is conducting a preliminary investigation into the incident.