Greek coroner reveals new details in case of Australian Instagram model’s death

·

A Greek coroner was never provided with crucial footage that was reportedly taken moments before a young Australian Instagram model was found hanging from the back of a billionaire’s superyacht in Greece. 

Sinead McNamara, 20, was ruled to have committed suicide after her body was found on the Mayan Queen IV, in the Greek islands, in August 2018. 

The ruling came despite coroner Ilias Bogiokas admitting questions still remained about the case and that it was ‘closed too soon.’

The Daily Telegraph reported Ms McNamara had complained of a fight with someone on the yacht the day before her death, authorities had not inspected the vessel before it left port and the coroner never received footage showing Ms McNamara moments before her death.

“We don’t know if someone brought her into this situation, if there was a moral instigator,” Mr Bogiokas said in a translated interview.

Sinead McNamara toured the world before her tragic death. Picture: Instagram.

Ms McNamara, who was raised in Port Macquarie, NSW, had been on the trip of a lifetime, posting glamorous shots from her travels around the Mediterranean on the Mayan Queen IV, which was owned by Mexican mining billionaire Alberto Bailleres.

An autopsy revealed there were no traces of illegal drugs or alcohol in her system before she died.

Mr Bogiokas said that he continued to have nagging doubts about the case because there was no inspection of the yacht before it left Greece.

“Since no stimulant drugs such as cocaine or sedatives such as cannabis or heroin have been found after the toxicological analysis, it means that the girl was not under the influence of such substances,” he said.

“She had mental clarity and that she was most likely facing social problems and was (found herself) in a psychological impasse.”

Ilias Bogiokas, a coroner in Greece, who has more details on her death. Picture: News Network.

Ms McNamara had called her mother the day before she died and complained that she had a dispute with someone on the yacht.

It was understood that a witness from a nearby vessel saw Ms McNamara and there was an attempt to rescue her from an apparent suicide attempt.

Ms McNamara was found alive, approximately 15 minutes after the attempt, and was taken to a local hospital in Kefalonia.

She was then flown to a private clinic in Athens for treatment but died in hospital there.

The Greek Coastguard had allowed the yacht to leave Kefalonia after interviews with the crew members.

It is understood that there was footage of moments before Ms McNamara was found at 2am on August 30, 2018.

Sinead McNamara was holidaying on the yacht when she died. Picture: Instagram.

However that footage was never provided to the coroner, who found that the cause of death was suicide.

A source claimed that crew members said there were no concerns about Ms McNamara’s mental health before she died.

Neurosurgeon Panagiotis Sioutos, of the private clinic “YGEIA,” where Ms McNamara was treated, confirmed that she was transferred there.

He said her death was a “mysterious case” and that he did not know who had asked that she be transferred to the clinic.

However, Dr Sioutos said that she was clinically dead when she arrived.

Port authorities in Greece defended their handling of the case and said that all procedures had been followed.

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Latest News

From ancestral threads to contemporary art: Inside Evangeleah Plakias’ ‘Echoes of Hellenes’

At just 28, Evangeleah Plakias is presenting her work to the public for the first time through a personal exploration of Greek history.

Melbourne artist David Kaneen to hold painting exhibition in Athens

The Angelon Vima gallery in Athens is hosting a solo exhibition by Australian artist David W. Kaneen, running from March 1 to April 5, 2026.

At just six, Maya Konstantinou is shaping the conversation on Type 1 Diabetes

At just six years old, Maya Konstantinou has already faced challenges many adults struggle to comprehend; diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

Geelong Greek community mourns business icon John Bourdamis

Greek Australian entrepreneur John Bourdamis, who immigrated to Australia in 1954 and settled permanently in Geelong in 1970, has died.

Shopkeeper recalls alleged Easey St killer Perry Kouroumblis decades before arrest

Nearly five decades after first seeing him in her Collingwood vintage store, Kate Buck says she instantly recognised Perry Kouroumblis.

You May Also Like

Greek police dismantle international drug trafficking ring

An international drug-trafficking ring has been dismantled by the Greek police in collaboration with the Greek coast guard, police announced on Tuesday. In a major...

Venus de Milo archive returns to Greece

A collection of historic papers discovered in a Long Island basement has been donated to the Gennadius Library in Athens.

Olympia Valance set to return to Neighbours for series finale

Fan favourite, Olympia Valance will be returning to Ramsay Street as ‘Paige Smith’ in July ahead of the “epic” series finale on August 1.