A landslide in the area of the famous Zakynthos shipwreck has overturned boats and injured tourists who were visiting the iconic site. So far, reports about injuries and possible missing tourists are conflicting with media to speak of one to three injured tourists.
+++According to latest information (01:30 pm): A family of Czech nationals, parents and two children are among the injured, as well as a fifth person whose nationality has not been revealed.
The accident occurred at 11:15 on Thursday morning.
According to preliminary information by state broadcaster ERT, two tourists of possibly Chinese nationality have been injured. The information is not officially confirmed, though by 12:45 noon.
The rocks fell into the sea and caused strong waves that overturned the boats.
Local media report that some the boats passengers are missing but this information is not confirmed either.
At the time of the accident three boats with tourists on board had anchored in front of the area where the rocks fell.
Local Fire Brigades are to investigate whether there are people or even a whole boat under the fallen rocks.
Almost two hours after the Zakynthos shipwreck accident it is not clear how many boats with how many passengers on board have been overturned.
Based on the pictures posted by
imerazante, it seems that two boats were overturned.
A big Search and Rescue operation has been launched by the local fire service and the coast guard, while EMAK rescuers are to depart from Elefsina with a Super Puma helicopter.
According to local media, hundreds of tourists many of them with small children were at the Zakynthos shipwreck site enjoying the spectacle, the sun and the sea, when the rocks started to detach.
Boat owners told Athens News Agency that at the beginning there was a loud noise and one small rock fell into the sea, then a second.
The third rock was the biggest and caused the waves that overturned the boats.
“Three slightly injured tourists are currently on the way to the general hospital of Zakynthos,” local media report short after one o’ clock noon.
Speaking to
erminews, the chief of the port authority said that “there are no missing people.”
Access to the site and the beach of Zakynthos shipwreck is possible only by boat.
