Key Aspects:
- A 44-year-old woman who went overboard from Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas on October 9 has been rescued alive in the Ionian Sea.
- A passing cargo ship reportedly located the woman, allowing the Hellenic Coast Guard to recover her and bring her ashore.
- Odyssey of the Seas skipped its October 10 call in Naples after participating in the search for around 14 hours.
A woman who went overboard from Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas was found alive in the Ionian Sea early on October 10, 2026. According to Greek outlet Ellada24, citing the Hellenic Coast Guard, a passing cargo ship spotted the 44-year-old Salvadoran national approximately 70 nautical miles southwest of Zakynthos.
The woman was subsequently recovered conscious by a Coast Guard vessel and transported to Katakolo. Passengers aboard Odyssey of the Seas shared on Reddit that the captain announced on October 10 that the woman was rescued around 2:00 a.m., roughly 20 hours after she went in the water.
According to those reports, the captain said that the woman was receiving hospital treatment for hypothermia. However, authorities have not confirmed details about her medical condition or the circumstances that led to her going overboard.
Cruise Hive previously reported that the woman went overboard early in the morning of October 9, 2026. The 167,704-gross-ton ship was en route to Naples at the time of the incident, but stopped, turned around, and began searching for the woman.
The search also involved other vessels in the area and a helicopter, as reported during the initial operation on October 9. The initial search location was approximately 72 nautical miles southwest of Zakynthos.
The search and rescue operation was coordinated by the Hellenic Coast Guard’s Joint Search and Rescue Coordination Center (EKSED). Odyssey of the Seas reportedly participated in the search for around 14 hours before resuming its voyage.
Search Forces Odyssey of the Seas to Skip Naples
Odyssey of the Seas is sailing a seven-night, round-trip Greek Isles cruise that departed Civitavecchia on October 4. The 4,198-guest vessel was heading from Mykonos towards its final port of call in Naples when the emergency occurred.
Due to time spent participating in the search for the overboard woman, however, the October 10 call in Naples has been cancelled. Instead, passengers are spending what would have been their final port day at sea as the vessel returns to its homeport, with the scheduled October 11 disembarkation remaining unchanged.
“Our day in Naples has been cancelled. Just hope the disruption to everyone’s travel plans will be kept to a minimum,” said one guest on Reddit.
Cruise ship tracking data confirms Odyssey of the Seas is sailing past Naples towards Civitavecchia at the time of writing. No impact to the following seven-night Greek Isles sailing on October 11 has been announced.
