Piraeus, Greece – Greece is engulfed in shock and anger after a disturbing incident on a ferry led to the tragic death of a passenger. The passenger, identified as 36-year-old Antonis Kariotis, was forcefully pushed into the water by members of the ferry’s crew in the port of Piraeus on Tuesday evening. Thousands of people expressed their outrage and demanded justice for the victim.
Rallies were organized at the port of Iraklio, where the “Blue Horizon” ferry was docked, with demonstrators denouncing the crew and the ship owner company, Attica Group, as “murderers.” Similar protests took place in Agios Nikolaos, where Kariotis resided, as horrified bystanders grappled with the shocking incident.
The tragic episode unfolded as captured in a viral video on social media. The footage depicted Kariotis attempting to board the ferry on the loading ramp, which was still down. Crew members repeatedly stopped him and forcefully pushed him back, causing him to fall into the sea. Despite passengers alerting the crew that a man was in the water, the ferry departed as originally scheduled, prompting authorities to later instruct its return to Piraeus. Kariotis’ lifeless body was eventually recovered from the water.
The Coast Guard reported that the victim was found unconscious in the harbor waters and was subsequently pronounced dead. Initial results from the autopsy revealed that the cause of death was “drowning in seawater,” with additional injuries and abrasions to the head. Pending results from a toxicology examination may provide further insights into the incident.
In response to the tragic events, the ferry’s captain and three crew members faced homicide charges, with one crew member facing manslaughter charges possibly involving malice, while the other two were prosecuted for complicity in the manslaughter. The captain was charged with dangerous interference with maritime traffic, a felony.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his deep dismay over the incident on Facebook, describing it as an “unimaginable end.” He pledged that all necessary actions would be taken to ensure accountability and justice, emphasizing that the event did not represent the country’s values.
Shipping and Island Policy Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis ordered an internal investigation into the incident’s handling by the Port Authority of Piraeus. Port Authority sources revealed that an official was in the vicinity but not in front of the boarding ramp, highlighting that the ramp should have been raised before the ship’s engines were activated, a violation recorded by the Port Authority.
Minister Varvitsiotis expressed shock and sadness, condemning the crew’s actions as “a terrible insult to Greek seamen of coastal shipping, that does not befit the principles of seamanship.”
In response to the tragedy, Attica Group, the ship’s operator, expressed profound shock and pledged full cooperation with competent authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
