Yacht crew charged for arson on Greek island of Hydra

·

Thirteen crew members of a yacht have been charged with arson after fireworks launched from their vessel allegedly started a forest fire on the Greek island of Hydra island.

According to AMNA.gr, the Greek crew of the tourist yacht Persefoni I were arrested on Saturday at an Athens area marina after allegations that they started the forest fire late on Friday.

The crew members appeared before a prosecutor at the Piraeus court on Sunday afternoon.

Authorities are also in the process of temporarily confiscating the Persefoni I, which had been chartered by a group from Kazakhstan.

Greek yacht crew faces prosecutor over wildfire incident on Hydra
Greek yacht crew faces prosecutor over wildfire incident on Hydra. Photo: Protothema.

The crew members have denied any involvement in the fire and the use of fireworks. If found guilty, they could face severe penalties, including up to 20 years in prison and substantial fines for causing ecological damage. The arrests were made as part of the ongoing investigation into the cause of the wildfire.

Greece’s Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias reported that the fire scorched 300 hectares of forest.

Over a span of 24 hours, Greece experienced 66 wildfires, with firefighting teams working diligently to control the remaining active fires. Authorities have called for heightened vigilance due to the high fire risk in several regions, including Attica, the Peloponnese, and central Greece.

Source: AMNA.gr and Ekathimerini.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

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

Advertisement

Latest News

Jewellery, Hypnotherapy and the Greek islands: The dynamic life of Claire Aristides

Diamond expert, business owner, hypnotherapist, girl boss, wife, and mother — these are all terms that can be associated with C. Aristides.

I try to use Greek, but they always reply in English…

People often say that children will lose their heritage language when one of the parents is from ‘outside’ the community, but it’s not so simple.

Brace yourself: Energy, internet and insurance costs to rise in Australia from July

Australians are being urged to prepare for rising household bills starting July with energy, internet, and insurance costs set to increase.

Inside postwar Thessaloniki: Gonda Van Steen on Charles Schermerhorn’s mission

On 17 May 1946, the American social worker Charles Schermerhorn arrived in Greece. He arrived at a critical time.

Rhodes Old Town bars slammed for overcharging tourists

Rhodes’ picturesque Old Town is under fire for reportedly scamming tourists with overpriced drinks, according to numerous reviews.

You May Also Like

Ancient Nemea stadium in Greece reopens to visitors

The 4th-century BC Ancient Nemea stadium in Corinthia, Greece, re-opened on Wednesday to those who wanted to visit it.

Turkey denies deliberately holding Greek plane in the air

Turkey on Thursday denied accusations by Greece that Ankara refused an overflight permit to a plane carrying Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, forcing the aircraft to remain in the air for 20 minutes.

Greek inspired dining room and bar ‘Topikos’ to open in former Bondi Beach Public Bar space

Bondi Beach is about to get a little Greeker with the addition of a new diner and bar inspired by the islands of Greece.