Strong winds provoke havoc at sea, on land
Gale force winds provoked several incidents at sea yesterday but no injuries were reported. A Panama-flagged cargo ship that had been en route to Turkey ran aground off Nea Michaniona near the main port of Thessaloniki. No harm came to any of the 10 crew members aboard the Gerda Vesta, which had not been carrying cargo. Off the city’s main port another two cargo vessels – the Bahamas-flagged Clipper Melody and the German-flagged Maersk Ipanema – collided after being buffeted by strong winds. There were no reports of injuries or fuel leaks. Meanwhile, on the islet of Atalantonisi, near the Gulf of Evia, some 55 hunters were stranded as high winds prevented rescue boats from approaching the shore. Strong winds also overturned an articulated truck at the Malgara junction of the Athens-Thessaloniki national highway, causing traffic problems.
