Agathonisi residents isolated after ferry services halted
The small remote island of the Dodecanese, Agathonisi has been isolated for the past two weeks after the ferry that connects it to Samos halted its services for maintenance. Since October 14, only a couple of ferries that can carry vehicles and trucks have docked on the island to bring basic goods.
The impact of the cutoff has been so intense that some residents have been forced to leave the island and live elsewhere until the problem is resolved, Kathimerini understands.
Without a ferry, residents do not have access to hospitals and health services, and businesses simply cannot operate. The island is still somewhat connected to Rhodes, though the ferry serving that route can only accommodate a single vehicle, which is insufficient for the needs of a 100-resident community.
According to one local fish farmer, when the ferry is discontinued for maintenance, the contract between the operator and the state requires that it is replaced with a temporary vessel to continue services. However, this has not been the case, thus recurrently isolating the Agathonisi residents and causing long-term negative effects on their community.
Maritime Affairs and Island Policy Minister Christos Stylianidis claims to be on top of the issue and in daily communication with the island’s mayor, Evangelos Kottoros. According to Stylianidis, ferry services shall resume in the next few days.
However, a long-term solution is yet to be determined causing more residents to consider relocation.
