Two men have been killed and one woman is seriously injured after a speedboat crashed on a fishing boat in Thini area, between Porto Heli and the island of Spetses late Friday night.
On board of the high-speed inflatable boat were ten French nationals (two men, three women and five children)and the driver, while on the fishing boat were three Greeks.
The 10-meter long speed boat instruded on the 5-meter fishing boat while the fishermen were pulling the nets.
Spetses Mayor Panagiotis Lyrakis told private Open TV that “the speedboat went over the fishing boat.”
The wooden boat sunk immediately and the two Greeks died on the spot.
A 60-year-old woman was found seriously injured and was transferred first to a local health center and from there to a hospital in Athens, where she remains intubated and in critical condition still Saturday noon.
The three victims were siblings, with the two men aged 60 and 70. One of the dead and the injured woman were reportedly twins.
Some of the French tourists were treated for light injuries in the local health center.
The adults among them underwent alcohol tests that turned out negative, so far.
The driver of the speedboat disappeared immediately after the crash. The 44-year-old appeared to Police station of Porto Heli on Saturday morning, though, together with his lawyer.
It is not clear whether he is French or Greek. However, according preliminary information by the Shipping Ministry, the man was a foreign national.
“In the context of the preliminary investigation into the maritime accident and according to the testimonies of the foreign nationals aboard the inflatable boat, there was another passenger (male foreign national) who functioned as pilot of the boat. The man disappeared as soon as the speedboat approached the shore,” the ministry said in a statement.
According to latest information by state broadcaster ERT TV, the driver said he disappeared due to an injury he siffeured. He claimed that the fishing boat had no lights on.
The driver who is also the owner of the speedboat underwent an alcohol test and returned to police station. he may be arrested by prosecutor’s order during the day.
It was the French tourists who told police that the driver left the scene, ERT TV reported.
Speaking to state broeadcaster, Shipping Minister Giannis Plakiotakis said that according to preliminary testimonies, “high speed” played a role. He dismissed, the driver’s claims saying that the fishing boat had “a small light on.” HE added that investigation continues.
The Port Authority of Porto Heli is fully investigating the circumstances under which the deadly crash occurred short after 9 o’ clock on Friday night.
