20-year-old Florida New College student Heather Barnes has been rescued after being stranded at sea for 16 hours, the New York Daily News reported.

The marine biology student was found sunburned with jellyfish wounds after setting out on a solo dive for a school project around four a.m. off the coast of Honduras. Barnes, of New Jersey, was attempting to collect coral samples when she started cramping and helplessly floating out to sea.

"I tried to stay in the same spot, thinking people would search for me soon," she told NBC Philadelphia. "But after two hours I still didn't see anyone. I realized if I was going to make it, I had to swim back myself."

As the sun came up, Barnes' troubles began to pile up. She had already started her swim back toward shore, dealing with jellyfish stings, dehydration and sunburns. Her family and trip organizers quickly realized she was gone and the search began.

School officials notified Barnes' mother Jennifer Dukelow, who contact friends from work and church. The search party got in contact with a number of politicians.

"We got a hold of Congressman Andrews who contacted the embassy," Dukelow said. "The College of Florida head reached out to Senator Rubio and Congressman Buchanan, keeping the pressure on the embassy to keep pressure on the Honduran government to do everything they could."

The resort where Barnes had been staying sent out fishermen, kayaks and hikers to try and find her.

"I made it to Lion's Head on our island and collapsed on the shore," Barnes said. "Two locals carried me and gave me water. They kayaked me back to the resort where people poured from every building and hugged and kissed me."

Barnes was returned to the U.S. for medical treatment, but other than really bad sunburn, she was fine.

Dukelow was overcome with emotion from the news.

"I heard a beautiful voice at 10 o'clock that night," Dukelow said. "I was screaming. I dropped to my knees. I just said, 'thank you God, thank you God!' She was like, 'Mom, I'm okay, I'm alive. I kept swimming!'"