Captain And Chief Engineer Arrested After 20-Year-Old Sailor Dies In Ferry Accident

A tragic accident aboard a Greek passenger-vehicle ferry claimed the life of a young crew member on Wednesday morning. The incident took place around 8:00 a.m. during the ship’s scheduled Rhodes–Piraeus route, which included stops at Halki, Diafani, Karpathos, Kasos, Anafi, and Thira.

The Hellenic Coast Guard reported that the 20-year-old sailor, working as an engine room cleaner, was trapped in a watertight sliding door in the vessel’s ground-floor garage.

The sailor was passing through an open hatch that connected the ro/ro deck with the engine room when the watertight door unexpectedly closed. Crewmates quickly acted to rescue him and provided first aid. When the ship reached Piraeus, he was taken by EKAV ambulance to Tzaneio General Hospital, where he was declared dead.

Authorities confirmed that the young crew member had joined the vessel on September 15 as a wiper and was properly certified for basic training. He had also completed a familiarisation process before boarding.

Per reports, the watertight door was designed to be manually operated and would stop moving when the actuation lever was released. The reason it continued closing and trapped the sailor remains under investigation.

Greek authorities have launched a preliminary investigation into the accident, led by the Piraeus Port Authority, with the prosecutor informed. The captain and chief engineer of the ferry were arrested and face charges of manslaughter by negligence.

The Panhellenic Union of Merchant Marine Engineers (PEMEN) and the Panhellenic Union of Lower Engine Room Crew of the Merchant Navy “O STEPHENSON” announced a 24-hour strike aboard the ferry.

The strike began at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday and continued until 11:00 a.m. Thursday, during which the vessel remained docked at Piraeus and its scheduled Wednesday itinerary was cancelled.

In a statement, the company expressed deep regret over the incident and offered condolences to the sailor’s family, describing the tragedy as shocking. The company assured full cooperation with the authorities to clarify the circumstances of the accident.

This is the second safety-related incident aboard the ferry this month. On September 18, a minor suffered an electric shock after coming into contact with a cable for a spotlight on deck. The child was hospitalised in Karpathos and was reported to be in stable condition.

References: amna, greekcitytimes