Four crew members charged with manslaughter after incident involving man attempting to board ship.

Tragedy Strikes as Man Drowns After Being Barred from Boarding Ferry

“The mind can’t⁢ comprehend it,” Greek ‍Prime‍ Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his shock and disbelief ⁤over ⁢the ⁣tragic death ​of a 36-year-old man. The man drowned after being prevented from boarding a‍ ferryboat, allegedly pushed into the water by the crew as the ⁣ship sailed away.

Charges ⁤of ‍homicide‌ have been filed against three crew members and the captain of the “Blue Horizon” ferry, according to the Greek Reporter.

A viral video captured the heartbreaking‍ moment when Antonis Kariotis desperately tried to⁣ board the ferry in the Athens⁣ suburb of Piraeus. As Kariotis hurriedly approached the ⁣ramp, two⁣ crew​ members blocked his path while another watched.

A‍ struggle ensued between the crew members and Kariotis as they‍ prevented him from ​boarding, pushing‌ him back to the​ end of the ramp.

Despite being briefly ashore, Kariotis made another attempt to board. However, he was once again stopped by a ⁢crew member. Tragically, as the ship began to⁣ depart, he was seemingly pushed ⁢off the ramp and into the water.

Passengers on board screamed for help as they witnessed ⁢the man in the water. The last crew member to have contact with him was seen looking in the ⁣direction of the water ​as ​the ferry sailed away.

The ‍shocking video, which contains⁣ scenes that may ‌be disturbing to some viewers, was posted on X (formerly Twitter) and can be⁣ viewed below.

Βίντεο σοκ: Το ‍πλήρωμα έσπρωξε από ⁢το ⁣Blue Horizon‍ στον θάνατο τον 36χρονο ​που σκοτώθηκε ‌στο λιμάνι⁣ Πειραιά pic.twitter.com/FdzFTliZLg

— kakajason (@kakajason50) September 5, 2023

The crew member responsible for pushing Kariotis into ‌the water⁤ has been charged‌ with ⁤manslaughter, possibly ​with ⁣malice. The other two crew members on the deck are facing charges ⁢of complicity in ⁤manslaughter.

Additionally, the captain has been charged with dangerous interference with maritime traffic, ⁢a felony offense.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis expressed ⁢his disgust and horror at the tragic end that befell⁢ Kariotis in a Facebook post.

“The mind can’t comprehend ‍it, an inconceivable⁣ tragedy,” Mitsotakis wrote, emphasizing that this “shameful event does not represent the country we ‍want.”

He pledged that all‌ necessary measures would be taken to‌ ensure justice and ⁢accountability in this ‍devastating incident.

Greek Shipping and Island Policy Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis has ordered‍ an investigation into the handling of the incident ‍by⁣ the Port Authority of Piraeus.

According to sources in the Port Authority, the ramp should have been raised before⁢ the ferry’s engines were started. ​However, ‌the X ⁢video shows ‌turbulence indicating engine operation as‍ Kariotis was attempting to board the ramp.

Minister ⁣Varvitsiotis revealed that Kariotis had a valid ticket for⁣ the⁣ ferry but had left the ship for some ⁣reason and was subsequently barred from reboarding.

Following​ controversial comments⁤ made by Varvitsiotis regarding the incident, which⁤ were‍ interpreted by some ​as sympathetic towards the ferry​ crew, ⁣he was forced to resign on Monday, as reported‌ by Reuters.

Varvitsiotis later apologized, clarifying that his remarks had been ⁣misinterpreted.

Protest rallies took place at Blue Horizon’s home port of Iraklio, Crete, resulting in a​ five-hour delay in​ the ferry’s departure. ‍There were also ⁤protests in Kariotis’ hometown of Agios Nikolaos.

Source: The ‍Western Journal

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