Woman, 44, found floating in sea after going overboard on Royal Caribbean cruise ship

A woman plunged into the sea on a Royal Caribbean cruise and was rescued after desperately clinging to a lifebuoy for 20 hours near a Greek island, according to the Hellenic Coast Guard.

The 44-year-old El Salvadoran passenger went overboard on the Odyssey of the Seas ship — and was found conscious in the Ionian Sea near the island of Zakynthos on Friday, Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, according to USA Today.

Footage shows the dramatic moment the Hellenic Coast Guard pulled her to safety in the dark waters. Officials then rushed her to hospital for a medical examination.

A 44-year-old El Salvadoran woman who went overboard during a Royal Caribbean cruise was found conscious in the Ionian Sea near the island of Zakynthos, Greece. YouTube/HellenicCoastguard
A woman who went overboard during a Royal Caribbean cruise was found alive after nearly 20 hours at sea. YouTube/HellenicCoastguard

It was not immediately clear how she plunged overboard.

The tourist had left for a week-long cruise that departed from Civitavecchia, Italy, on Oct. 4.

The passenger cruise ship Odyssey of the Seas arrives at the French Mediterranean port of Marseille. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
A 44-year-old El Salvadoran woman who went overboard from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship was rescued in the Ionian Sea near Greece. YouTube/HellenicCoastguard
People look on as a woman is rescued after falling overboard. YouTube/HellenicCoastguard

An investigation is ongoing.

Royal Caribbean didn’t immediately return a request for comment.

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