Man dies after being forcefully pushed off ferry in Piraeus
Authorities have detained the captain and the deck officer of the Blue Horizon ferry in connection with the death of a 36-year-old man at the Piraeus port late on Tuesday.
A video circulating on social media appears to depict members of the ship’s crew involved in an altercation with the man as he attempts to board the ship, which is about to depart for the port for Iraklio, Crete. Subsequently, a crew member is seen forcefully pushing the victim off the ferry’s ramp and into the sea. The man appears to fall between the car ramp and the pier.
He was later found dead in the water.
Subsequently, the Blue Horizon was instructed to return to Piraeus.
Shipping Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, in a message posted on the X social media platform, extended his condolences regarding the incident and affirmed that all necessary measures are being taken to establish accountability.
Officials have stated that depositions will be collected concerning the incident at the central port authority of Piraeus, including statements from eyewitnesses and the crew, as part of the ongoing investigation.
In a statement issued in the early hours of Wednesday, the ship-owning company, Attica Group, expressed their deep shock over the tragic incident and declared that they will “cooperate with all competent authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident.”
According to a report by the public broadcaster ERT, the company will replace the crew, and the ship will set sail for Crete again once the depositions of the passengers have been completed.
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
