Cruise ship passenger rescued alive, miraculously, after drifting at sea for 20 consecutive hours

A woman who went missing from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship in the Ionian Sea has been found alive—a near-miraculous outcome after she spent 20 consecutive hours adrift in the water. CBS News, citing the Greek Coast Guard, has confirmed the details of this extraordinary rescue.

Details of the incident:

• What happened: Early last Friday, a 44-year-old woman jumped into the sea from the *Odyssey of the Seas*, a massive Royal Caribbean cruise ship, southwest of the Greek island of Zakynthos. 
• Reason for the jump: Following her rescue, the woman—a citizen of El Salvador in Central America—explained to rescuers that she had jumped because she wanted to leave the ship. 
• The search operation: Upon reports of her disappearance early Friday, the Greek Coast Guard deployed two rescue vessels, a naval helicopter, and other nearby ships to search for her. The *Odyssey of the Seas* also participated in the search efforts. 
• A miraculous rescue: Early Saturday morning, a freighter spotted the woman floating in the sea, clinging to a life ring; she was found fully conscious. A Coast Guard patrol team subsequently arrived at the scene and brought her to safety.

A video released by the Greek Coast Guard shows rescuers throwing a rope toward the woman, who was seen drifting in the dark waters while holding onto an orange life ring.

Following her rescue, she was taken to the port of Katakolo and subsequently admitted to a hospital in the city of Pyrgos for medical treatment and a health assessment. Acting on the instructions of a local prosecutor, she is also undergoing a psychiatric evaluation.

Notably, the *Odyssey of the Seas* is 1,138 feet long and has a capacity for 4,198 passengers. The incident has sparked significant discussion on social media.