ATHENS, Greece — A woman who allegedly jumped from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship into the Ionian Sea was rescued after spending about 20 hours in the water, Greece's coast guard said, in a search that involved coast guard vessels, a navy helicopter and a passing cargo ship.

The 44-year-old woman, a citizen of El Salvador, was found conscious and floating in a life ring early Saturday, more than a day after she went overboard from the Odyssey of the Seas southwest of the island of Zakynthos, officials said.

She later told rescuers she had jumped because "she wanted to disembark," a coast guard spokesperson told Agence France-Presse.

"She was 20 hours at sea," the officer said.

Search launched overnight

The incident occurred early Friday as the Odyssey of the Seas was sailing in the Ionian Sea off western Greece, according to the coast guard.

After an alert was raised, the coast guard dispatched two patrol boats and a navy helicopter to the area, and other ships nearby were rerouted to help with the search. The Odyssey of the Seas also joined the effort, the coast guard officer said.

A passing freighter eventually spotted the woman........

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