A tourist from Cuba lost her life when she fell from the cliffs of the spectacular shipwreck of Zakynthos. The 22-year-old woman was there with her boy friend and tried to capture the stunning view with a selfie.
According to her American partner, the woman stood as close as possible to the edge of the cliff in order to be able to get the best shot of herself and the famous shipwreck. She lost her balance though and fell deep down.
The partner reportedly heard her shouting something like “ouch’ before falling.
Police and the cost guard that sailed to the spot could only recover the dead body of the woman. The incident occurred at 4 o’ clock Monday afternoon.
The corpse was taken to the morgue for further investigation.
According to local media, it is considered as certain that it was an accident.
CHECK ⇒ 13 SEPT 2018
Landslide at Zakynthos Shipwreck overturns boats, injures tourists
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Update June 7 2017
Local newspaper imerazante.gr, writes autopsy was concluded on Tuesday and that “arrangements were made with the Embassy of Cuba for the trasnfer of the body.”
“Police has taken testimonies by the young woman’s partner an and eyewitness,” the local newspaper notes.
According to Times, the woman had dual Cuban and American citizenship.
Meanwhile, the local community seem to demand for better safety measures in the area, however, the problem seems to lay with the property rights of the area, and it would need the cooperation of several local authorities.
The mayor has reportedly called for a meeting with representatives of several public and private bodies for June 13. Aim is to agree on safety measures on the cliff area as well as in the sea.
Tourists who have visited the cliffs and locals have posted on social media that there is a viewing platform or balcony. Locals but also Greek media report that many people go off the safety area in order to take a picture from the famous shipwreck.
Some locals even urged for security guards to watch out that people do not leave the safety area.
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Two months ago, a 23-year-old Greek student was killed when he also tried to shoot a selfie. The man was seeing by other tourists as he fell down the cliff.
In June 2016, a Chinese tourist was drowned while he was swimming in the Navagio Beach. He had arrived with one of the many tourist boats bringing daily dozens of tourists who want to admire the shipwreck and enjoy a swim in the crystal clear waters. After the accident, the municipality decided to hire life guards over the tourist season.
Private ANT1 TV reported that locals urge authorities to consider safety measures in the area.
The Shipwreck Beach also known a the Navagio Beach, is an exposed cove on the North-West coast of Zakynthos, in the Ionian Sea.
On 2 October 1980, a freightliner, the MV Panagiotis, ran aground in the waters around after stormy weather and bad visibility. Many people falsely claim the ship was smuggling contraband cigarettes, wine and women.
The ship was abandoned and still rests buried in the limestone gravel of the beach that now holds the famous nickname Navagio Beach.
The area is defined by its sheer limestone cliffs, white sand beaches, and clear blue water, which attract thousands of tourists yearly. The strip of beach is accessed only by boat.
Many tourists take a drive to take a look at the beach and the shipwreck from a viewing platform up on the cliffs.
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I was there just after it happened. Helped locate her body with a drone. I was shocked and argued with fire department to go down there as fast as possible incase she was still alive but the firefighter said he was told to stay at the view point and marine authorities will Handel it. His hands where tied with policies and command. I rushed to the port to try and take a boat over and just see if she was still breathing but by the time I got there they had picked her body up.
It was very sad and my prayers go out to the family and her boyfriend.
I did storyline it on my Instagram account and helped another bystander navigate and take a photos on the drone but did not post that out of respect. Photos where only used to send to fire department and to locate the body.
If the family would like to contact me to get more info I am willing to share what I witnessed and saw.
My condolences and prayers are with them.
Instagram @robrizk
omg, sorry to hear that. how horrible. thank you for posting this and offering help to the family. be blessed.
We were at the island when it happened. Such a terrible tragedy. My boyfriend ran over to try and help but unfortunately there was nothing that could be done. It’s certainly something neither of us will ever forget.
sorry to hear that.
Before publicising information, the source has a moral obligation to get facts right especially when extending the article into past events. This is a tragic incident, completely heartbreaking but it has nothing to do with the other 2 deaths noted in the story. The first death was not of a boy taking a selfie… it was of a boy who took a selfie before he committed suicide by jumping off the cliff. The Chinese tourist drowned because he completely ignored direct orders of ‘no swimming’ from the vessel’s captain because of very strong undercurrents prevailing there that day and jumped into sea from the boat… and he was not a strong swimmer. Hundreds of thousands of visitors have enjoyed the uniquely fantastic views of the Shipwreck throughout 3 decades and not a SINGLE death was ever reported before 3 years ago all that time and now people seem to be leaving their brains at home (and climbing up places even mountain goats won’t go), or have decided to tragically end their lives there. Our prayers, no doubt, are with the families, the partner and friends… no words can describe such a loss and so untimeley, but I ask Keep Talking Greece please checks its information first. It’s not funny… just makes an already tragic situation even more terrible. it’s just NOT worth endangering your lives to get a photo. I hope all our visitors are extra careful and enjoy their holidays and return home safe and content.
Hi this is very tragic. A few years ago we went on a coach trip and stopped at that exact point so tourists could take photo’s. The tour guide specifically told tourists not to go too close to the edge as it was dangerous. Did they listen, no and it was damp underfoot that day. No justification for putting your life in danger for a photo. My sympathies go out to that girls family, friends and boyfriend. May she rest in Peace.
We were also on the island. 30ft away. A polish paramedic was first at the scene. In about 15 seconds as he was so close to where she landed. And confirmed her death. It horrific, and i still can’t quite believe it x x
My condolences to the family and loved ones of this young woman. Tragic accident but if this makes people aware of he dangers then other lives may be saved. I have visited here many times and always take my pictures from the specially built viewpoint. I also witnessed many people scrambling over a wall to get a better view, it frightened me seeing these people risking their lives on the unsafe Cliff edge. Our tour operator made it quite clear that we should look from the viewpoint and not venture on to the cliffs.
My heart goes. Out to the family of the young girl I was on the beach with my family and friends we stood and watched the girl for about 10 minutes before she fell it was horrific it was like she was trying to find a way to get back up then her foot slipped then she tumbled down my partner ran over to try to help but nothing could be done so so sad
Keep talking Greece, there’s many incorrect facts with your story. For starters, she did not die taking a selfie, she died climbing down, tripped & fell. Second, she was not 23, she was 21. And finally, she was not Cuban, she was American and lived in the state of Florida.
@T you’re maybe partly right. info posted here is from local (Zakynthos), national and international media like the Times.
We were also there on the beach and saw her fall ,it was a really awful and frightening thing to witness .our hearts go out to her partner and family .we where also at the viewing platform the day before and talked of how dangerous it is .people standing on walls and on the edge in flipflops stretching out with selfie sticks ,its crazy . For a photo of a rusty old ship on a beach !
I would love to thank you all for your comments on the report. i am a close member of the family my name is Ibis, and on behalf of her parents and all members of the family, we are very thankful for the info on your comments. Specially Rob, thanks a lot we really appreciate everything, thank you all for trying to help, thanks for all the prayers, we really need those.
We are going thru one of the most hard and painful moment a family can go thru. Her name is Diana she was 21 years old, she was born in Cienfuegos, Cuba, naturalized US citizen and living in Miami Florida, she went to the island as a tourist, she was currently living in Valencia, Spain for cultural exchange 6 months, Diana was an honor student, the daughter every parents dreamed of, . We would love to know every little detail in regards to this tragedy, since we where many miles away and we dont know the place or how it happened, i also have questions:
Do tourist have to actually climb up to get to the top of the cliff? after the view point, how do one keeps up to the top, climbing? how do you get off? Please use my email if anyone would like to answer, those of you who saw Diana can you give more details, […] thank you tank you thank you in advance.
Ibis there is no way the cliff could be climbed to get to the top. From my understanding the point where Diana was stood is accessible by road. The shipwreck Island itself is only accessible by boat due to the high cliffs surrounding it. I hope this helps. Sending all my love and prayers to you and your family x
Thank you Kirsty. I really helps anything helps. Thank you so much, this week have been the most painfull week of the history of our family! God Bless you. Thanks to your partner for teying to help Diana as well. What canbi tell you we are so devastated. SO tragic for someone that young. @naudibis
Hello. My name is Christopher.
I was on the beach with my family when it happened.
I saw exactly the whole tragic situation.
I came from Poland and I was the first to run to the girl’s body.
I will tell what I saw:
When we arrived at the beach of the bay wreck, we spread out with our family
on the right side closest to the cliff – because there was a shadow.
My 11 month old daughter was asleep.
Suddenly a few stones fell near us.
I looked up and saw two people on the edge of the cliff.
The girl was sitting on the edge and there was a boy behind him, who did not step on the edge.
The couple hid, so we also took care of ourselves, took pictures, etc.
Later I went swimming and my family was on the beach.
My attention in the water again turned the couple on the suitcase.
I saw suddenly as the girl descended from the edge of the cliff a little lower.
I figured that she went to do selfie, which I considered dangerous.
The boy did not go down, he was upstairs.
The girl had a blue backpack that set on the rock a few meters down from the edge,
and herself went to the left (looking from the water side).
Suddenly the backpack slid down and stopped several meters below (I suspect it was still on the rocks).
After that I left the water and walked towards my family on the beach.
As I walked, I saw a girl once slipping – but stopped on the rocks.
As I approached my family this poor girl slipped again and this time she fell.
The entire beach was frozen. After about 3 seconds I jumped and as the first I ran to the place where it fell.
I checked her heart rate but the girl was dead.
The boy at the top just leaned over and screamed or was it all ok?
I deeply sympathize with the whole family of this tragedy.
If your family would like to contact you please write to:
krzysztof garula @
Please forgive me my bad english.
Thanks again for all your explanation Christopher i hav no words to describe how grateful we are with the help from comments and information given from witnesses at the beach.