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.

greek film festival melbourne

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

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

Advertisement

Latest News

The man for all jobs: How a Greek migrant turned setbacks into 7-figure success

When Christof Mantzanas stepped off the plane in Melbourne on 10 March 2015, he had just $1,000 in his pocket.

Jimmy’s Kitchen brings authentic Greek hospitality to The Rocks

Sydney diners can now experience the warmth, flavour, and soul of a traditional Greek taverna without the flight to Greece.

Greek Community of Melbourne enhances safety with defibrillator training seminar

The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) took a notable step towards enhancing community safety by organising a defibrillator training seminar.

Wills without the Trojan War

After nearly 15 years in the legal industry, I’ve lost track of how many matters I’ve worked on involving family disputes over estates.

From tech to health: Greek Australians driving innovation in 2025

Australia’s Top 100 Innovators celebrate those who turn setbacks into breakthroughs. This year, three Greek Australians are among them.

You May Also Like

AHEPA Chapter Artemis to hold lecture on domestic violence in multicultural communities

AHEPA Chapter Artemis No 5 Inc. is holding a lecture on May 30 to discuss the prevalence of domestic violence in multicultural communities.

Record crowds and kefi: St Nicholas paniyiri brings Canberra to life

The Greek Orthodox Church of St Nicholas in Canberra came alive on Sunday as hundreds gathered for the annual St Nicholas Paniyiri.

Comedian Kat Zam ponders on struggles of being a ‘Good Greek Girl’ in Australia

Greek Australian comedian and content creator, Kat Zam, wrote about her struggle to conform to the pressures of being a “Good Greek Girl.”