Dozens Dead in Aegean Ferry Disaster

A T H E N S, Greece, Sept. 27, 2000 -- At least 55 people are dead and about 50 missing after a Greek ferry carrying more than 500 passengers and crew sank in the Aegean Sea

The ferry boat Express Samina hit a rocky islet in rough seas Tuesday, about two miles off the popular resortisland of Paros, rescue officials said.

Coast guard officials said they could not explain why the ship hit the reef, which ismarked on maritime charts and has a navigation light.

“You have to be blind not to see it,” said Coast Guard chief Andreas Sirigos.

He added the coast guard was also investigating why it took thecrew nearly 20 minutes to inform the coast guard that the ship wassinking. The ship sank within 30-45 minutes of striking the reef.

Massive Rescue Operation

The huge, sometimes chaotic, air-sea rescue is being carried out by the Greek coast guard, fishermen, private boat-owners and helicopters from the nearby British Royal Navy warship Invincible. At least 430 people were rescued by daybreak today.

But bad weather was delaying efforts to bring relatives, media and additional help to the scene. So far, seven injured people have been airlifted to Athens for hospitalization. The gale-force storm, with winds blowing up to 46 miles per hour, is hampering attempts to airlift others.

Greek television was providing continuous coverage of the disaster, showing rescue flares and searchlights illuminating the dark waters as well as distraught relatives and wounded survivors.

The tragedy comes at the height of the local tourist season, when many families travel. There are fears that the number of missing may actually be higher, since children under 5 travel free and are generally not registered on the passenger list.

Minoan Flying Dolphins, the Express Samina’s owner, said therewere 447 passengers and 64 crew members aboard the boat.

Stormy Seas and Human Error

Early reports blame stormy seas and possible human error, and perhaps a soccer game. Greek TV commentators speculated that key crew members may have been watching the game — and neglecting their duties on deck.

The Justice Ministry has ordered a criminal investigation into the tragedy.

“I spoke with the Supreme Court prosecutor in order to launch criminal proceedings against the ship owners and ship operators as well as those in charge of the ship,” Justice Minister Michalis Stathopoulos told parliament.

Panic on the Ship

Passengers reported panic as the ship began listing to theright after hitting the rocky outcropping.

“The ship fell apart as it sank. There were people hanging fromthe railings. Children were crying and old people were screaming,”said survivor Zoe Kolida. “I jumped in and looked back after about50 meters and the ship was gone.”

Another survivor, Andreas Spanos, said people panicked and ranto the back of the ship “where they were jumping in. I also jumpedand was picked up by a fishing boat.”

But a crew member insisted that the evacuation was orderly.

“There was time enough for all of us to get out, including thepeople in the cabins. We got them all out,” StephanosPapadopoulos, a ship’s officer, told Athens’ Antenna television.

‘A Large Grime-Bucket’

According to the Greek Island Hopping Web site, Express Samina was previously known as the Golden Vergina, and sold to Minoan Flying Dolphins for little more than the value of its scrap metal.

The ship, built in 1966, was one of the oldest ferries in the Greek domestic fleet. The guide had warned passengers against traveling aboard the “large grime-bucket,” saying “this dreadful boat is arguably the worst Greek ferry afloat.”

The Web site also indicted the Greek government for refusing to abide by Safety of Life at Sea standards.

“Many of the boats operating in Greece are old North European ferries that were sold on because the cost of bringing them up to these standards would have been too high,” a message on the site reads. “A boat like the Express Samina wouldn’t be allowed to operate anywhere near a British or Baltic port.”

The ferry makes regularly scheduled runs from the Athens port ofPiraeus to the island of Samos. It was about to make a stop onParos, 100 miles southeast of Athens, when it hit the reef.

The Merchant Marine Ministry said another ferry, the Sappho, ran aground at dawn in the port of the island of Chios, another Aegean island close to the Turkish coast. All aboard were said to be safe.

ABCNEWS’ John Cooley in Athens and Sue Masterman in Vienna, ABCNEWS.com’s Ed Mazza, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.