A ferry captain and three crew members appeared before a Greek prosecutor on Wednesday facing homicide charges over the death of a passenger after being forcefully pushed into the sea, police said.
The captain, the deck officer and two crew members of a ferry from the Piraeus port to Iraklio, Crete were detained in connection to the death of a 36-year-old man on Tuesday.
The crew member that allegedly pushed the passenger face charges of manslaughter with possible malice, while the other two crew members are being prosecuted for complicity in the manslaughter, judicial officials told AFP.
The captain faces charges of dangerous interference with maritime traffic, which is also a felony.
A video that went viral on social media showed the passenger running onto the ferry loading ramp, which was still down, and crew members stopping him and pushing him back three times.
The man fell into the sea, and despite passengers screaming that he was in the water, the ferry left as initially scheduled.
The ferry operators were later instructed by authorities to return to Piraeus.
The man’s body was eventually retrieved from the water.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in a message posted on Facebook, expressed his “disgust and horror at the unimaginable end” of the passenger he identified as Antonis Karyotis.
Mitsotakis affirmed that all necessary measures would be taken to establish accountability and justice.
“The mind can’t comprehend it, an inconceivable tragedy,” Mitsotakis said.
“(Tuesday’s) shameful event does not represent the country we want.”
In a statement, the ship’s operator Attica Group expressed deep shock and said that they will “cooperate with all competent authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident”.
Source: AFP
