Woman found floating at sea after passing Royal Caribbean cruise ship

A 44-year-old woman who jumped from Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas near Zakynthos clung to a rescue device for 20 hours in the Ionian Sea.

Royal Caribbean cruise ship passenger rescued after going overboard near Greek island

The woman was found clinging to a flotation device after spending nearly 24 hours at sea. (Credit: Greek Coast Guard)

A woman who went overboard from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship was rescued after spending 20 hours in the water clinging to a lifebuoy, the Greek Coast Guard said.

The Greek Foreign Ministry told USA Today that the 44-year-old Salvadoran was traveling on the Odyssey of the Seas, which was sailing in the Ionian Sea near the island of Zakynthos on Saturday.

The cargo ship MSC Rossella III was assisting in the search and spotted the woman inside a bright orange lifeboat in the dark waters. The ship alerted authorities and a Greek Coast Guard crew arrived to throw her lines and pull her to safety.

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A Coast Guard spokesman told Ambassador Arjan that the woman told authorities she jumped overboard because she "wanted to get off the ship," adding that "she was at sea for 20 hours."

After he was rescued, he was taken to the port of Katakolo and taken to a local hospital, where prosecutors ordered a psychiatric evaluation, according to the Greek Coast Guard.

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The incident follows a similar stunt last year when a man jumped overboard from the Royal Caribbean Rhapsody in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in an attempt to escape nearly $17,000 in gambling debts.

The passenger, Jay Gonzalez-Diaz, survived the jump and was taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.