Oct. 12, 2026Updated Oct. 13, 2026, 8:52 a.m. ET
A cruise passenger was rescued after going overboard from a Royal Caribbean ship.
A cargo ship participating in the search found the woman conscious in the early hours of Oct. 10 after a flashing light on a lifebuoy was spotted, according to an Oct. 11 news release from the Hellenic Coast Guard.
The woman was a guest on the cruise line’s Odyssey of the Seas while it was sailing in the Ionian Sea, Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The vessel was on a week-long cruise that departed from Civitavecchia, Italy, on Oct. 4, according to CruiseMapper.
“She was then rescued by the search-and-rescue vessel, where she received first aid,” the translated news release said. A video uploaded to the Coast Guard’s website appears to show a vessel approaching a woman floating inside an orange life ring in the dark water, before the crew tosses her a rope.
After arriving in the village of Katakolo, the guest was taken to the hospital for “medical observation and testing,” the news release said. Authorities did not share other information about the guest’s identity.
An investigation is ongoing.
“We immediately launched a search and rescue effort and are working with authorities,” Royal Caribbean Group, the cruise line’s parent company, told USA TODAY in an emailed statement after the guest went overboard. “Our Care Team is actively providing support and assistance to the guest’s loved ones during this difficult time. For the privacy of the guest and their family, we have no additional details to share.”
Between 2009 and 2019, there were 212 overboard incidents globally involving guests and employees, according to statistics compiled for Cruise Lines International Association by consulting firm G.P. Wild (International) Limited and reviewed by USA TODAY. Just 48 people were rescued.
However, while the industry’s capacity increased by 68% during that time, the rate of those incidents dropped by nearly 35%.
“Every aspect of cruising is heavily regulated and monitored under international maritime law, as well as local jurisdictions,” CLIA previously told USA TODAY. “Overboard incidents are exceedingly rare. Cruise lines have implemented robust safety measures to help prevent incidents from occurring and have extensive protocols in place for crew to respond quickly in emergency situations.”
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
