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A tourist feared being eaten by sharks as she clung to her lilo for 21 hours after being swept out to sea.

Olga Kuldo, 55, went in the water off Crete without telling her husband Oleg, 59, and daughter Yulia, 28.

They raised the alarm when they realised she was missing but it was not until the following day that she was rescued around seven miles off the coast.

Describing her ordeal, Olga said: “I felt things touching my legs. I kept assuring myself it was just seaweed. It was truly horrible at night, all sorts of thoughts flashed across my mind.”

(Image: east2west news)

The cardiologist went for a paddle off the Greek resort of Rethymno despite storm warnings. She said: “The current and the wind carried me further and further away. I began to shout and wave but nobody on shore noticed.”

Oleg and Yulia thought she was having a spa session and only noticed she was missing after four hours. They raised the alarm and rescue boats were launched.

TV producer Yulia said: “We were told to wait, to calm down. At midnight, they said the storm was worsening.

“My dad said if anyone would stick to the airbed, my mum would. But he also worried she could be covered by a wave.”

(Image: east2west news)

Meanwhile, Olga was being lashed by giant waves. She said: “The storm was outrageous. I did not look back to face the waves because it was horrifying.

“I just kept hoping that the right wind would carry me back to the shore.”

She clung on and was finally spotted the next day – her 55th birthday – by a plane patrolling EU borders for migrants.

A rescue boat then appeared over the horizon. She said: “Five big men were on it – they were shocked to find me alive.”

(Image: east2west news)

They wrapped her in a thermo-blanket and took her to hospital, where she was treated for hypothermia, dehydration and sunburn.

The family went to Santorini to celebrate her birthday before flying back to their home in Zelenograd, Russia.

Yulia said: “All of us are recovering now.”