The tragic incident involving the drowning death of a 36-year-old ferry passenger in Port Piraeus-Athens has elicited shock and concern among the Greek public and political figures.
According to Miltiadis Varvitsiotis (Shipping Minister), the deceased (Antonis Karyotis) had initially purchased a ticket and boarded a ferry bound for Crete. However, for reasons unknown, he disembarked and then attempted to reboard the ferry Blue Horizon. It was during this attempt that he was pushed into the sea by crew members from the ferry's ramp, shortly after the ferry had left port. Video footage of the incident circulated on social media.
Karyotis's family disclosed to Greek media that he was on the autism spectrum, further complicating the tragic event.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his dismay over the incident on Facebook, characterizing it as a horrifying occurrence that cannot be condoned. He emphasized that such a "shameful event" does not reflect the values of the country and called for those responsible to face appropriate consequences.
In response to the incident, four crew of Blue Horizon (including the Captain) have been arrested and charged with manslaughter, as reported by public broadcaster ERT. They are scheduled to appear before the prosecutor in Pireaus by Saturday.
Additionally, a local gathering of residents at Port Agios Nikolaos (Crete) and calls for further demonstrations across the country by various leftist groups highlight the widespread concern and demand for justice in the aftermath of this tragic event.