In Varvitsiotis’ mind
Understanding the intent behind Shipping Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis’ statement following the tragic death of 36-year-old Antonis Karyotis is challenging. Karyotis drowned late on Tuesday while attempting to board the Blue Horizon ferry after being pushed into the sea by the crew. Varvitsiotis said, “Today, there are people mourning the unjustly lost; but the families of those who went to earn a wage, a day’s pay, and are now being accused of murder, are also mourning.”
This statement was entirely misguided and deeply regrettable. Varvitsiotis tried to clarify that he meant something different from what everyone understood, attributing the interpretation to his political opponents attempting to harm him. Ultimately, he issued an apology. However, it’s clear that if Varvitsiotis had taken the obvious step, which was to go to his office early in the morning following the incident instead of parading from one television studio to another for speculative discussions, he might have been more effective.
We witnessed a criminal act for which the four crew members will be held accountable in court. However, responsibility extends far beyond that. The Blue Horizon set sail with the car ramp down, and unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. We all travel by sea and are familiar with common practices. The rule of not releasing the ropes or starting the engines before raising the ramp is often ignored in the country’s ports, even in the presence of coast guard officers. As captains told Kathimerini, this is done to expedite ship departures. Furthermore, there were no coast guard officers overseeing the situation. According to one account, a coast guard officer was located meters away, despite the ship not having yet departed.
Initial evidence and nearly all testimonies concur that safety protocols were neglected, regulations pertaining to safe passenger transportation and protection were violated, and rescue duties were disregarded from the moment a person was found in the sea. Thus, we are not merely dealing with a criminal act or a “bad moment,” but a series of unlawful practices, a lack of professionalism, and dereliction of duty. This is where the state’s responsibility becomes crucial. Rigorous oversight to ensure compliance with safety protocols, regular inspections of vessels by maritime companies, and vigilance from port authorities are indispensable. The “bad moment” occurs when these conditions are not met. This is the stuff we expect to hear from Varvitsiotis in his next television appearance.
