As the days pass since the tragic incident on the Blue Horizon ship, where crew members pushed the 36-year-old Antonis into the sea and died, the circumstances under which it happened are beginning to become clear.
According to Proto Thema, the unprecedented events were interconnected. Not only did they throw the unfortunate Antonis into the sea, but afterwards, the ship did not hold the engines to start a rescue operation, something unprecedented in maritime history.
By not stopping the engine, there were violations of maritime law since, according to international regulations and customary law.
Βίντεο σοκ: Το πλήρωμα έσπρωξε από το Blue Horizon στον θάνατο τον 36χρονο που σκοτώθηκε στο λιμάνι Πειραιά pic.twitter.com/eiPvxWYKvq
— kakajason (@kakajason50) September 5, 2023
In addition to prosecuting four crew members, the Piraeus District Attorney ordered an urgent criminal investigation by the Prosecutor's Office into the responsibilities of the Coast Guard to establish whether its representative was at the scene as he should have been to prevent the tragedy and what he did when the ship sailed leaving the 36-year-old helpless.
For the abandonment of 36-year-old Antonis in the sea, resulting in his drowning, as admitted by the ship's owning company, Attica Group, "At the time he gave the order to sail, there was no incident on the ramp."
"Afterwards, a man was caught falling into the sea by the Bridge camera. The master's assessment and decision were also wrong and completely contradicted the training he has received and regular maritime practice," the company added.
Τραγικό!! Δεν υπαρχουν λόγια!! #bluehorizon #Πειραιάς #δολοφονια pic.twitter.com/CJNLnPxNNy
— Τραμπάκουλας ®️ (@Trambakoulas2) September 6, 2023
Apart from the captain, all involved crew members had visual contact with the incident.
As for the prohibition of the victim's entry to the ship, it was done by the decision of the Captain, and as the company claims, "it was done for security reasons, as the ship was in the process of leaving and boarding had been completed."
In the same announcement, the company accepts, however, that "his violent repulsion is not justified under any circumstances and for any reason."
To the ramp, and while the ship was already in motion, they had to let him pass and not push him towards where he was moving, i.e., to the ramp that had begun to rise. Authorities are investigating why the two crew members were obsessed with getting the passenger off.
The mistake was made from the beginning.
According to insiders, from the moment the passenger boarded, the captain was to start the ship if the ramp had first been secured. This is non-compliance with article 22 of PD 177/2000, which in paragraph 11 states that "the securing of the ramp and the safety door must be done before the ship sails under the captain's responsibility".
Also evident in the video that captured the incident is the absence of the port authorities near the ship, as provided by article 14 of the ministerial decree, which states that the duties of the port police are "to take the appropriate measures during the boarding and departure of passenger ships...to ensure the smooth and safe movement of passengers and vehicles in the onshore port areas and boarding/disembarking".
The Panhellenic Union of Merchant Marine Sailors points out: "It is evident that the 36-year-old passenger climbed the ramp at the moment when the ship had untied the anchors and at the same time the move was being made for the departure of the boat (front). The continuation and the repulsion of the 36-year-old with a raised ramp is a reckless, dangerous act on the part of a crew member and is equivalent to destructive action.
"At the same time, from the video footage of the time the 36-year-old was in the sea, it does not appear that the relevant procedure for his rescue was implemented. This, in turn, is another omission that links a dangerous chain of events to the loss of the passenger's life.
"At the same time, we must underline in the most straightforward way that responsibilities also lie with the Coast Guard who, when the ship departed, were not present as they should have been.
"If there were Coast Guard personnel, they should have presence - control - and supervision. This event was going to take a lot of work.
"This human tragedy also highlights the severe responsibilities of YEN - Port Authorities and Shipping companies that allow the untying of the holds and the departure of the ship with the ramp raised!"
The four arrested - the captain, the chief officer, the deck officer and the first mate have been given a deadline to plead their pleas next Saturday. Criminal charges were brought against the captain for manslaughter with possible intent and dangerous interference with maritime traffic.
Two crew members are being charged with complicity in homicide with possible intent.
It is noted that the captain is being prosecuted based on the new provisions passed after the Tempe tragedy for dangerous interference in maritime traffic, which is also a felony, while the penalties provided for these offences are up to life in prison.
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