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Passenger Ferry Collides With Fuel Tanker in Souda Port; No Injuries Reported
🇬🇷 Greece /Disasters & Emergencies

Passenger Ferry Collides With Fuel Tanker in Souda Port; No Injuries Reported

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Under investigation
  • A passenger ferry and a cargo ship collided in the port of Souda, Crete, on Tuesday morning.
  • The collision involved the passenger ferry 'Elyros' and the cargo ship 'Iosif K.', which was carrying fuel.
  • Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the 'Elyros' ferry continued its journey to Piraeus.

A dramatic collision occurred Tuesday morning in the port of Souda, Crete, when a passenger ferry and a cargo ship impacted each other. The incident, captured on video, shows the two vessels approaching dangerously close before the inevitable crash.

It is too early to assign blame; all evidence must be objectively examined, including communications and instructions from the port traffic control center.

— Nikos SpanosRetired Admiral commenting on the need for a thorough investigation into the ship collision.

The passenger ferry, named 'Elyros', was carrying 100 passengers, 32 cars, and 74 trucks. It had departed from Chania port and was en route to Piraeus. The cargo ship, 'Iosif K.', was maneuvering to dock in the port. This vessel was reportedly carrying a significant load, including 89 cars and 14 fuel tankers, raising concerns about a potentially larger disaster.

For the passenger ship to leave, to raise the ramp and untie the ropes, it received permission to depart from the person on duty there. And for the cargo ship to enter, someone gave approval.

— Giorgos VallisPresident of the Panhellenic Union of Private and Professional Yacht Crews, explaining how the collision might have been avoided.

Despite the severity of the collision, which saw the 'Elyros's' bow strike the 'Iosif K.'s' side, resulting in visible damage to the cargo ship, no injuries were reported among the passengers or crew. The 'Elyros' was able to depart Souda a few hours later and is expected to arrive in Piraeus later in the evening.

I have ordered the Chief of the Hellenic Coast Guard to conduct an internal investigation to fully determine the causes of the incident... There is absolutely no tolerance when it comes to safety.

— Vassilis KikiliasMinister of Shipping commenting on the collision and the subsequent investigation.

An investigation into the cause of the accident is underway, with the Hellenic Coast Guard examining all factors. The Minister of Shipping, Vassilis Kikilias, has ordered a thorough investigation, stating there is zero tolerance for safety issues. Eyewitness accounts from crew members described panic and fear, with one expressing alarm about the cargo of liquefied gas on the 'Iosif K.'. Officials are reviewing communications and control tower instructions to determine responsibility.

Here, here, with tankers, with hay, with liquefied gas... That scoundrel. Something has happened here now. It was tied up and suddenly it came at us 'full speed'.

— Crew memberDescribing the panic and the nature of the cargo during the collision.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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