Man dies in Aegean boat chase
A man was fatally injured off the eastern Aegean island of Chios when he crashed his inflatable speedboat into another vessel during an attempt to escape from an inspection by the coast guard, the Merchant Marine Ministry said yesterday. The man, aged 48, had been one of three Greek men traveling aboard the boat headed for Turkey and refused to stop, despite repeated warnings from the coast guard. The ministry said that warning shots were fired into the air, however, dangerous maneuvers from the speedboat’s operator resulted in the boat slamming into an anchored commercial transport vessel. The other two men, aged 48 and 38, have been detained for questioning. Officials said the three are known to authorities for different offenses, including human trafficking of illegal immigrants from Turkey. There were a number of outstanding court decisions issued against the man who was killed, authorities added.
