#14 GREECE Green Velocity - Crash the Habit: Μικρές Ιστορίες
- EERcomt
- 17 hours ago
- 5 min read
Παρακάτω παρατίθεται μία από τις 44 ιστοριούλες που απαρτίζουν τη συλλογή μαρτυριών από ατυχήματα σε στεριά, αέρα και θάλασσα 11 νεαρών ατόμων από διάφορα μέρη της Ευρώπης και του κόσμου.
ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ #14
ΑΚΤΟΠΛΟΪΚΕΣ ΓΡΑΜΜΕΣ
by Katerina Kalafati (Greek), European Solidarity Corps; ESAI EN ROI Volunteer
ESC volunteering in teams DHIAfest campaign diffusion International Campaign
Greece|| Transportation Accident Stories
Supporting Organization: ESAI EN ROI
The deadly wreck of the "Express Samina"
It happened on the evening of 26 September 2000 off Paros and was the second biggest post-war maritime tragedy to hit the Greek shipping industry.
The deadly shipwreck of the passenger ferry "Express Samina" was the second biggest post-war maritime tragedy to hit the Greek shipping industry. It was preceded by that of the passenger ferry 'Heraklion' in Falconera on 8 December 1966, with 224 dead.
The shipwreck occurred at 22:15 on 26 September 2000 off Paros, when the 'Express Samina' struck the rocky islet of 'Portes', causing it to suffer a large rupture and sink. The outcome of the tragedy was sad, as 81 people were recovered dead, while the number of those rescued was 457. Among the dead was the deputy mayor of Paros, Dimitris Malamas, who suffered a heart attack during the rescue operation. The ship belonged to the company "Minoan Flying Dolphins" (now Hellenic Seaways) and had sailed from Piraeus to operate the route Paros - Naxos - Ikaria - Samos - Patmos - Lipsi.
At the time of the tragedy there were eight Beaufort winds in the area, which made it difficult to rescue the shipwreck victims. Fishermen from Paros and Antiparos, Greek ships and two British warships, the "Liverpool" and the "Elizabeth" participated in the rescue efforts.
The Express Samina was 34 years old and was due to be withdrawn by law in three months, and according to a complaint by the ship's former chief engineer Anastasios Soroka, who had been sacked, the ship was sailing with many "patents" that made it dangerous for its occupants.
Criminal prosecutions
The following day, the Syros prosecutor's office brought criminal charges of manslaughter with possible malice against the master, the second mate, the helmsman and the cadet master, as well as against all those responsible. The investigation also targeted the shipowning company, whose representatives have been charged with felony charges of endangering passengers, and the state authorities responsible for rescuing the shipwreck victims.
On 3 October, the captain and the lieutenant of the "Express Samina", Vassilios Giannakis and Anastasios Psychogios, were remanded in custody by a unanimous decision of the investigator and the prosecutor, while the helmsman Panagiotis Kasdaglis and the cadet George Patilas were released on bail.
Political controversies
From the very first moment, then Prime Minister Constantine Simitis ordered that the causes of the shipwreck be fully investigated and that responsibility be attributed, while Merchant Marine Minister Christos Papoutsis assured that the tragedy would be brought to light, saying that the knife would go to the bone.
The case also involved the Commission of the European Union, which in a letter to the competent Greek authorities asked for clarifications on the causes of the shipwreck and on compliance with Community maritime safety rules. It also called for the file on the maritime tragedy to be handed over to the Commission and for clear guarantees to be given as to the seaworthiness of all coastal vessels. In its reply, the Ministry of Merchant Shipping pointed out that the ship met all the terms and conditions laid down in EU directives and international treaties.
There was an immediate reaction from the opposition, which called for accountability for the causes and circumstances of the shipwreck, and placed enormous responsibility on the government and the Ministry of Merchant Shipping for the delay in rescuing the shipwrecked people.
The Minister of Merchant Shipping, Christos Papoutsis
On 2 October, with questions submitted to the Prime Minister in Parliament, the leaders of the opposition parties blamed the government and the shipowner. In addition, the leader of the opposition, Kostas Karamanlis, in a letter to the Prime Minister, called for a debate in Parliament at the level of political leaders on the shipwreck and the government's shipping policy, while Miltiades Evert called for the establishment of a preliminary investigation committee for the impeachment of former Merchant Marine Minister Stavros Soumakis (Christos Papoutsis had taken office in April 2000), in accordance with the law on ministerial responsibility.
Two days later, the Prime Minister, responding from Parliament to the opposition's criticisms, after admitting that there are problems in the shipping industry because operators provide a low level of quality, stressed that Greek ships are safe and that the fleet has been significantly renewed in recent years. Regarding the shipwreck, he said that accountability will proceed as the government is not covering up for anyone. Kostas Karamanlis accused Costas Simitis of lack of decency and philanthropy, spoke of rotten ships and favourable treatment of the Minoan Lines company and argued that there are political responsibilities. The KKE's secretary general, Aleka Papariga, said that the government bears criminal responsibility for the shipwreck, while the president of the Coalition, Nikos Konstantopoulos, accused the government of turning public transport into a stock market gamble.
"No" to the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry
On 2 November, the House of Representatives, with 146 votes against, 121 in favour and one present from independent MP Vassilis Kedikoglou, rejected a proposal by the New Democracy party to set up a Commission of Inquiry into the safety of coastal shipping. PASOK and Synaspismos voted against the proposal, while ND and KKE voted in favour.
On 29 November, the Vice President of Minoan Flying Dolphins and CEO of the company Pantelis Spinias ended his life by falling from the 6th floor of the company's offices in Piraeus. The reasons that led him to commit suicide remain unclear, while according to statements made by his colleagues after the tragic wreck of the "Express Samina", Sfinias was living under the suffocating pressure of media, political and financial problems.
The finding and the hearing of the case
On 21 July 2003, the Supreme Council for Maritime Accidents issued its findings, which laid heavy charges against Captain Vasilios Giannakis, Lieutenant Anastasios Psychogios, Vice-Captain Georgios Triantafyllou and Chief Engineer Gerasimos Skiadaresis. The conclusion stressed that the ship would not have sunk if the watertight doors of the engine room had not been open and the rescue would have been more successful if the passengers had been informed in time.
The captain of the "Express Samina" Vassilios Giannakis
Two years later, on 7 May 2005, the trial of the defendants for the "Express Samina" shipwreck began at the Piraeus Criminal Court of Appeal and on 27 February 2006 the decision was issued, according to which the captain Vassilios Giannakis was sentenced to 16 years imprisonment and the lieutenant Anastasios Psychogios to 19 years imprisonment. Eight years were imposed on XO Georgios Triantafyllou, 8.5 years on chief engineer Gerasimos Skiadaresis and 15 months on radio operator Dimitrios Tsumas. The company's representatives Nikolaos Vikatos and Konstantinos Klironomos were sentenced to four years' imprisonment each. The convicted persons, except the master and the second-in-command, appealed and were released.
The trial in second degree was held in 2007 at the Piraeus Court of Appeal of Piraeus. On 25 June the judgment was delivered, according to which the captain of the 'Express Samina', Vassilis Giannakis Giannakis, was sentenced to 11 years and 14 months imprisonment and the lieutenant Anastasios Psychogios to 12 years and 9 months imprisonment. The court imposed three years to the XO Georgios Triantafyllou, one year to the first engineer Georgios Skiadaresis and 10 months to the radio operator Dimitrios Tsumas. The company's representatives Nikolaos Vikatos and Konstantinos Klironomos were sentenced to two years' imprisonment each. Giannakis and Psichogios were sent to prison and the others were released on probation or on bail. On 17 June 2010, the Supreme Court reduced the sentence of Captain Giannakis to 5.5 years.
Comments