Signup for our newsletter to get notified about our next ride. The accident resulted in 81 deathsand the loss of the ship. if (vars.article) { One after another, we fell into the sea.. "They put their lives at risk to help us and especially the children and the elderly," one survivor, Mr Panayiotis Hasapis, told the newspaper Ethnos. Several crew members, as well as representatives for the owners, were subsequently charged with different criminal charges, including manslaughter and negligence. He had been charged with criminal negligence in conjunction with this ferry disaster, and had been the focus of much media attention. window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; The Express Samina had left Athens port of Piraeus on Tuesday afternoon and headed southeast for the holiday island of Paros, the first of six overnight stops en route to Lipsoi island near the Turkish coast. [6] The fact that some of the crew did not help the passengers evacuate the sinking ferry contributed to the death toll.[5]. Three crew members were sentenced to between 15 months and eight years and nine months for a series of misdemeanours that included abandoning ship without the captain's permission. A Greek ferry, the Express Samina, is pushed off course by strong waves and crashes into a rock formation, causing 80 passengers to lose their lives in the freezing water as they wait for rescue. } Four Americans were among those rescued, but it was unknown if any Americans died. Police said he died instantly. hail and turbulences. The disaster resulted in two further deaths: on the night of the sinking, the port officer on duty died of a heart attack, and a few weeks later the CEO of the shipping company committed suicide. Discover your full benefits as a Premium subscriber. She was then sold in 1999 to Minoan Flying Dolphins, again for service in the Aegean, when she was renamed Express Samina. The ship sank because nine of its eleven watertight compartment doors were open even though safety laws require ship operators to close and lock the safety doors. The Greek captain was charged with causing a shipwreck through negligence, breaching international shipping safety regulations and polluting the environment, a Merchant Marine Ministry spokeswoman said. } Psychoyios had been watching a football match on television when the ship hit the rocks, according to witnesses. } subscriptionStatus: '', vars.article.wallVisible = 'false'; By 22:25, the list had increased to fourteen degrees and water began to enter the ship through the six-metre gash. The disaster in September 2000 shook public confidence in Greeces coastal ferry shipping safety and prompted a safety crackdown. The ship sank because nine of its eleven watertight compartment doors were open even though safety laws require ship operators to close and lock the safety doors. Scarica la nostra app gratuita. First officer Tassos Psychoyios was sentenced to 19 years, while captain Vassilis Yiannakis received a 16-year sentence. } Some passengers said there had been no public announcement when the ferry ran aground. const listenForFlipPayEvents = function () { Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Column: Did the DOJ just say Donald Trump can be held accountable for Jan. 6? The accident resulted in 82deaths[4] and the loss of the ship. for (let i = 0, parts; (parts = cookies[i] && cookies[i].split('=')); i++) { const script = document.createElement('script'); Jaguars, narcos, illegal loggers: One mans battle to save a jungle and Maya ruins, Latinx Files: In praise of Jenna Ortega, Aubrey Plaza and moody, deadpan Latinas, CPAC shows the GOP has deep divisions heading into 2024, Abortion clinics crossing state borders not always welcome, Black Vietnam veteran awarded Medal of Honor after decades-long wait, Toxic forever chemicals about to get their first U.S. limits, Hidden, illegal casinos are booming in L.A., with organized crime reaping big profits. First officer Tassos Psychoyios was sentenced to 19years, while Captain Vassilis Giannakis received a 16-year sentence. At 22:12 EEST (19:12 UTC), 2nmi off the port of Parikia, Paros, the ship hit the reef of Portes islets[5] at 18 knots. It went down near the popular tourist island of Paros. 'none' : 'registration'; }; 1999-2000: Express Samina; Look up "IMO 6613548" MS Express Samina French-built roll-on/roll-off (RORO) passenger ferry. A judicial investigation. The ship's sinking in the Baltic Sea on September 28, 1994, claimed 852 lives and was one of the deadliest maritime disasters in the late 20th century. The legal pretrial detention limit is 18 months. childList: true, const observer = new MutationObserver(onMutation); Kathimerini may send occasional special offers and promotions. if (vars.article.wallType === 'premium') { BEREAVED families yesterday vowed to bankrupt the owners of the sunken ferry Express Samina with legal actions and poured scorn on the amount of compensation offered, as the captain admitted he had not been on the bridge when she hit the rocks and sank, drowning at least 74. A preliminary inquiry indicated that Vassilis Yannakis, the captain, was not on his bridge, Greek media reported. The crew had placed the ship on autopilot and there were no crew members watching the ship. Pandelis Sfinias, 62, jumped from his sixth-floor office in the port of Piraeus, apparently unable to live with the knowledge that the business he created, Minoan Flying Dolphins, was being blamed for one of Greece's worst sea disasters. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. }); It was the responsibility of the master and captain to ensure that the watertight doors were hermetically sealed; which in breach of the safety certificate, were all open. [11] He had been charged with criminal negligence in conjunction with this ferry disaster, and had been the focus of much media attention. The water from the three-meter gash destroyed the main generators and cut off electrical power. The ship sank close to the islets at 23:02, resulting in the deaths of 80 people from a total of 533 on board. She sailed from France for the last time in 1982, as she was sold to a Greek company, Stability Maritime, to operate their ItalyGreeceIsrael route under her new name MS Golden Vergina. The cause of the accident was crew negligence, for which several members were found criminally liable. Additionally, this hastened the adoption of VDRs (voyage data recorders); all passenger ferries are now required by law to contain voyage recorders. The captain, his first officer and two crew members have been charged with murder,neglect of duty and violation of maritime procedures. There was no note, but media reports hinted at a possible call made before he jumped. In 1969, she was transferred to Compagnie Gnrale Transmditerranenne. A crew member discovered the problem and tried to steer the ship to port, but this action occurred too late and at 22:12 local time, the ship struck the east face of the taller Portes pinnacle. But there's more: discover your full benefits now. "Happy to introduce you to the captivating world of our upcoming project Jaan-e-Jahan . [8], As a result of the sinking, ferries were retired after 30years instead of 35, under Greece's new laws precipitated by the disaster. if (isGrantedBy('purchase')) { Around 12 people are officially still missing but the number may increase as tickets could be bought on board and were not issued to small children. subscriptionStartDate: purchase.granted_by_app_purchase.original_start_at, Young Greek soldiers fought choppy seas holding babies afloat and handed their own lifejackets to the elderly passengers. const selectedRegional = localStorage.getItem('selectedRegionals'); }; RM 2F66WBA - Sea captain board ferry. if (isGrantedBy('app_purchase')) { RM G54R65 - A man walks out of The Port Authority building on the Greek island of Paros, where Vassilis Yiannakisits, the captain of sunk ferry Express Samina is allegedy being held. Our services run deep and are backed by over ten years of experience. Friends said yesterday that since the disaster he had been racked by remorse and guilt. Select your favourite newsletters and get the best of Irish Examiner delivered to your inbox, Your Irish Examiner delivered to your door. He and three other crew members, including Vasilis Yiannakis, the captain, will be charged in court tomorrow. The ship sank because nine of its eleven watertight compartment doors were open even though safety laws require ship operators to close and lock the safety doors. Can religion save us from Artificial Intelligence? After six years of service, the company changed its name again, to SNCM, to which she was transferred. Five other defendants, including two ferry company officials, received lighter sentences. The rocks tore a six-meter long and one-meter wide hole above the water line. }); The emergency siren for the abandonment of the ship and relevant information from the ships loudspeakers were not used under the responsibility of the master, and there was no guidance from crew to organize the evacuation of the ship. if (Object.keys(p.badge || {}).indexOf('print_monthly') > -1) { } else { return 'epaper-access'; vars.article.wallVisible = ! The handling of the bridge watch crew even a few minutes before the impact was insufficient to avoid collision. return; [8], As a result of the sinking, ferries were retired after 30years instead of 35, under Greece's new laws precipitated by the disaster. On the evening of Tuesday 26 September 2000, MS Express Samina left the Port of Piraeus with 473 passengers and 61 crew members. Mr Dadinopoulos said the charges would be formally put to them at the court in Syros, and a trial will be fixed within 18 months. [12], The City of Seattle honoured 26-year-old Heidi Hart and 32-year-old Christine Shannon, two American passengers, for heroism during the disaster. The charges laid against the captain were "causing a shipwreck through negligence". script.src = flipPayJsUrl; The disasters of MV Sewol (Korea, 2014) and MS Express Samina (2000) were basically due to the above explained theory. cookieValue = decodeURIComponent(cookieValue); Two Canadians were among. item_group_code: "pfc_indo", But the spotlight quickly turned to Greece's ageing ferry fleet, which transports more than 10m people a year, and to the near monopoly enjoyed by MFD. MS Express Samina ( ) was a French-built RoPax ferry that collided with a rock off the coast of Paros island in the central Aegean Sea on 26 September 2000. return { These laws were eventually relaxed due to the aging Greek fleet, but ships over 30 years old must comply with strict safety standards, and regular inspections are carried out by authorities. Members of the crew, who were five hours into a routine trip from Athens, were said to have been watching the Champions League match with the Greek side, Panathinaikos, at the time of the collision. The ship's final journey was on September 26, 2000. Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis promised a full investigation. On 26 September 2000, waves push the MS Express Samina off course, causing it to hit a group of rocks off Paros and sink, killing 80 people. Reality TV star Stephen Bear jailed over sex video, Reality TV celebrity Stephen Bear to be sentenced for sharing sex video online, Georgia Harrison stands with victims as Stephen Bear jailed over revenge porn, Thai cave boys ashes arrive home from UK for final farewell, Chinese defence spending boost to meet complex security challenges, Hong Kong activists convicted over failure to comply with security law, Ukraine ally Kallas fights for re-election in Estonia vote. The cause of the accident was crew negligence, for which several members were found criminally liable. A judicial investigation has yet to come to any conclusion on the reasons for the disaster, although human error was initially cited as the chief cause.