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Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-03-14
CONTENTS
[01] Probe into maritime accident
[01] Probe into maritime accident
The captain that ran the tour boat "Georgis" aground with 278 foreign
tourists on board will be led before a Piraeus public prosecutor, the
coast guard said on Friday. The accident, where the tourist vessel ran
aground on Platia, an islet north of the island of Poros in the Saronic
Gulf, occurred on Thursday in excellent weather conditions.
They said the captain will be charged with causing a shipwreck through
negligence, as a misdemeanour.
According to statements taken by coast guard officers, Captain Antonis
Spetsiotis was not on the bridge at the time of the accident while
conditions at sea were fair and the boat was on a well-known route that
it travelled daily.
On the bridge at the time were the "watch", consisting of the a junior
officer and a seaman at the wheel, carrying out orders given to him by
the officer.
The ship, which was carrying out a one-day cruise of the Saronic Gulf
islands, is still grounded after all the passengers were safely
evacuated on Thursday afternoon until the breach in its hull is sealed.
The rescued passengers arrived at Piraeus late on Thursday evening.
Caption: The vessel ''Georgis" on Friday, 14 March 2008.
ANA-MPA/VASSILIS PSOMAS
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