Port authorities have arrested a 30-year-old captain of a passenger-tourist vessel following a major fire that engulfed two tourist boats off the island of Paxoi in the Ionian Sea, causing both to sink and triggering marine pollution, officials said.
The incident occurred Thursday afternoon near the old seaplane base in waters off Paxoi, according to the Greek Coast Guard.
The first passenger-tourist vessel arrived already on fire, but all 18 passengers – US nationals – and its four crew members disembarked safely and without injuries, authorities said.
The blaze then spread to a second nearby tourist vessel carrying only its four crew members, including one Greek national and three Egyptian nationals, all of whom were also evacuated safely.
A major emergency response was launched, involving Coast Guard patrol boats, firefighting vessels, private boats and a tugboat, while firefighting crews and local authorities assisted from shore. Despite efforts to extinguish the flames, both vessels sank, and nearby boats were also damaged.
