Finally, the Fast Ferries Andros, with the help of three tugs, moored at the port of Rafina, and 734 passengers from the ill-fated voyage disembarked at 1 am.
Another vessel’s anchor chain became stuck in the propeller of another vessel and it remained immobilized for 18 hours at the anchorage, approximately 150 meters from the port, from 7:30 a.m. on Saturday 9 September. For safety reasons, passenger ferries Andros Queen, Theologos P and Superferry, instead of Rafina, berthed at the port of Lavrion, thereby avoiding a possible serious accident involving three ships due to the convergence of their anchors.
Towards evening, food and medicine were delivered to the ship’s passengers. There was irritation among the people, as the elderly and children were exhausted after so many hours on board, writes newsbeast.gr.
According to coast guard, the crew cut the anchor chain on the ship’s propeller, and three tugboats helped Fast Ferries Andros enter the port. Coast Guard spokesman Nikos Alexiou said:
“The entire operation was carried out keeping in mind the safety of passengers and preventing any danger. Of course, when you go on a journey and don’t get to your destination, there is irritation and fatigue, of course there is, but the most important thing is that everyone is alive and landed safely at the pier.”
It took the crew about four hours to cut the chain and subsequently free the ship, leaving 734 passengers stranded on the Fast Ferries Andros for 18 hours. Due to the strong winds blowing in the area, the possibility of transferring passengers and transporting them to land was excluded.
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