On Friday, October 21, a small tugboat sank while working a midsize cruise vessel at Port Patmos (Greece). As a result, the boat's 45-year-old captain died.
The tug (Pothitos III) had met up with the inbound Azamara Journey ship in a bay east of Patmos. After a while, under unknown circumstances, the towboat sank during the mooring operation.
At the time of the accident, 2 crew members were on the tugboat. The deckhand abandoned the ship and was rescued by a boat launched from Azamara Journey, but the skipper was recovered unresponsive from inside by a team of private divers.
The victim was immediately transported to the nearby health center, where his death was confirmed.
Patmos Port Authority is heading an investigation into the casualty.
Image: Patmos Island (Greece)
No pollution has been reported.
The tugboat is in deep enough water and will not hinder navigation.
For more Azamara Journey incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.