Ferry crew charged with manslaughter after death at Pireaus port

Four crew members of the Blue Horizon ferry are facing manslaughter charges in connection with the death of a 36-year-old man at the Piraeus port late Tuesday. The captain, first officer, boatswain, and deck officer are all charged with manslaughter and violations of relevant articles within the Maritime Law Code. They are scheduled to appear before the prosecutor later in the afternoon.

A video circulating on social media appears to show members of the ship’s crew engaged in a confrontation with the man as he attempts to board the departing ship bound for the port of Iraklio, Crete. In the video, a crew member is seen forcefully pushing the victim off the ferry’s gangway and into the sea. The man appears to fall between the car ramp and the pier and was subsequently found lifeless in the water.

According to information from the Central Port Authority of Piraeus, the victim, identified in media reports as Antonis Karyotis, a resident of Agios Nikolaos in Crete, had a valid ferry ticket.

Shipping Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, in a message posted on the X social media platform, extended his condolences regarding the incident and affirmed that all necessary measures are being taken to establish accountability.

In a statement issued in the early hours of Wednesday, the ship-owning company, Attica Group, expressed their deep shock over the tragic incident and declared that they will “cooperate with all competent authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident.”