Greek Ferry Captain & First Officer Jailed For Pushing Passenger To Death

A court in Piraeus, Greece, has sentenced the captain and first officer of the Blue Horizon ferry to prison over the tragic drowning of a passenger in September 2023.

The first officer, who pushed the passenger off the ferry’s ramp, received 12.5 years of manslaughter, while the captain was sentenced to over seven years for allowing the vessel to depart after the fatal incident.

The court rejected their request for a suspension of their sentences, ordering them to serve their prison terms immediately.

The case sparked widespread outrage after video footage of the 36-year-old Antonis Kargiotis being pushed into the sea was surfaced online, as he tried to board the ferry, which was departing for Heraklion, Crete.

The Blue Horizon’s stern ramp was still down, against maritime safety rules, when Kargiotis ran up to board.

A crew member confronted him, and as the ferry started moving, he was pushed off the ramp into the harbour waters. He was caught in the ferry’s wake and drowned while crew members and passengers looked on.

Despite the serious incident, the ferry continued its journey and did not return to port for nearly 40 minutes, only doing so after receiving orders from authorities. The shocking footage led to widespread condemnation across Greece.

Charges were brought against four crew members: the captain, first officer, second officer, and boatswain. Prosecutors argued that the first officer deliberately pushed Kargiotis and that the crew failed to assist him in any way.

Family members of the victim pointed out that, instead of pushing him off, the crew could have detained him and handed him over to authorities.

The captain was found guilty of allowing the ferry to leave after the fatal incident and trying to cover up the crime. He was sentenced to seven years and five months in prison.

The first officer was convicted of manslaughter and received 12.5 years. The sentences were reduced due to their previously clean records, but the court refused to suspend them.

The second officer and boatswain were accused of being complicit in the crime. However, the court acquitted them after reviewing video evidence that showed one standing near the entrance of the garage and the other stepping forward during the altercation.

The defense team argued that the first officer did not intend to harm Kargiotis and was only preventing an unauthorised boarding.

They also pointed out lapses in port security and the Coast Guard’s role. The court rejected these claims, maintaining that both convicted officers had responsibility for the death.

This incident led to serious political consequences. Greece’s shipping minister, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, resigned following the public outcry. Spyridon Paschalis, the CEO of Attica Group, which operates the Blue Horizon, also stepped down from his position.

Reference: ekathimerini

Source: Maritime Shipping News