The yacht that started the fire on Hydra: 13 arrests, the ship was confiscated (video)

Law enforcement officers yesterday took statements from crew members and passengers of the yacht from which fireworks were launched on the island of Hydra. As a result, a pine forest there caught fire on Friday evening. Thirteen people were arrested and the ship was confiscated.

The yacht is chartered by seventeen foreigners, writes publication newsbeast.gr. According to applications submitted to the Hydra port authorities, The fireworks that caused the fire on the island were launched from a ship.

After the vessel docked at Vouliagmeni wharf shortly after 3pm yesterday, coastguard personnel boarded to check the life-saving equipment and especially the flares that are required by law to be carried on every vessel. The review apparently focused on whether they were on the ship and how many missiles were used on Friday night.

The fire department will inquire about the yacht charter to determine whether the owner knew about the fireworks. Then it will be clarified whether there was a license for fireworks, from whom they were purchased and when, whether there was a license to launch them (which is absolutely impossible, given the special conditions prevailing in the country due to the weather), etc.

Then the statements and all documents will be sent to the prosecutor to decide who to prosecute and on what charges. The ship's crew will also testify, because in the event of offenses, those who were on board will also be held accountable.

The captain of a passing vessel reported this yacht to the Hydra port administration. The fire department's investigative department has asked the port authority to demand detailed testimony from the captain about what exactly he saw on Friday evening and how the fire started in the only pine forest on the island.

Earlier, the fire department's investigative department requested from the Coast Guard the marks and details of all boats that were in the area on Friday evening, as well as video footagesince from the very beginning there were complaints in which The cause of the fire was said to be the launch of flares or fireworks from the ship.

The fire danger in the area on Friday was listed as Level 4, which prohibits any use of fire, according to Fire Order No. 9 of 2024. The fire was brought under control at noon on Saturday.

Later appeared information that 13 arrested for fireworks on a yacht face serious fines. The ship was confiscated. With the recent change in the criminal code, the use of flares is punishable by special punishments – from a fine, imprisonment without suspension of execution to confiscation of property. There is also a direct reference to naval flares in Article 265.

For such actions, the law provides for imprisonment for a period of one year and a fine, with serious consequences – imprisonment for a term of at least five years and a fine. Punishment cannot be conditional and cannot be replaced by money. Severe fines are provided – from 10,000 to 200,000 euros, and the state also has the opportunity to confiscate property.

The 13 arrested, who threw fireworks from the tourist rental boat “Persephone”, causing a fire in the forest of Hydra, will be brought to the criminal prosecutor's office of Piraeus today, Sunday 23 June.

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