Greek ferry captain arrested for dangerous manoeuvre while loading at port

Police officials in Greece have placed a local ferry captain under arrest for allegedly manoeuvring his vessel dangerously as it was loading vehicles and passengers on Thursday, August 15.

Embarkation on the Ro-Pax ferry Saonisos was ongoing at the Port of Gavrio on the island of Andros on the evening (local time) of Thursday even as the area was experiencing rough weather that made loading challenging.

A video that an eyewitness later posted online shows the ferry being buffeted by strong winds, causing its stern vehicle ramp to make only intermittent contact with the jetty.

The ramp flipped slightly upwards just as a vehicle was being driven onto the ferry. The vehicle became stuck on the edge of the ramp as passengers rushed to get on board.

The ferry then began to pull away from the jetty. The last vehicle on the ramp was pushed back onto the jetty and was left behind.

Initial reports said the strong waves threatened to push the ferry out of alignment with the jetty and cause it to crash into a nearby breakwater. The captain was therefore compelled to manoeuvre accordingly to open the distance between his vessel and the shore.

A local prosecutor has ordered that the captain be arrested for handling the loading and the vessel's departure in an unsafe manner. Authorities have reported that the unsafe loading did not result in any injuries or damage.

Saonisos had also been involved in an incident earlier this year when it crashed into a harbour at Folegandros in the Cyclades Islands after being pushed by strong winds. The ferry hit a rocky area near a quay at the entrance to the harbour.