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Hydra: Fireworks from luxury yacht set only pine forest on fire

Anger and outrage on the island of Hydra against people on a luxury yacht who fired fireworks on Friday night and caused a big fire in a rare forest area of the island.

The fire broke out in the only pine tree forest of Hydra in an inaccessible area near the beach of Agios Nikolaos around 22:45 on Friday.

The yacht left the area short after the flames started to lighten up the sky.

The captain of a boat sailing nearby witnessed the passengers of the luxury yacht having a party and throwing fireworks, thus starting the fire.

The captain informed the port authorities on the island.

The 5 volunteers firefighters of the island intervened as soon as possible, a water dropping helicopter joined them in the first day light.

“The fire kept us up all night, it was in an inaccessible area, the volunteer fire brigade attempted from the first moment, until midnight, in difficult conditions due to rough seas. With the first light of day came the first aerial vehicle,” said the mayor of Hydra, Giorgos Koukoudakis, speaking to Action24 TV on Saturday morning.

“I want to express my indignation at how recklessly some people behave, endangering an entire island, the settlement and the environment,” he added.

He stressed that the municipality will move legally against the perpetrators.

FB post by Seasonal firefighters:

Based on the information of the captain of the neighboring boat, authorities could identify and locate the yacht that was chartered by foreign nationals.

By Saturday noon, the yacht had arrived in Vouliagmeni marina in south-eastern Attica and according to latest media reports port authorities are already on board.

According to news website zougla.gr, the group that chartered the yacht are nationals of Kazakhstan.

Port authorities and the Fire Service continue the investigation, there could be also arrests, media report.

PS Greeks on social media wonder whether the new severe sentences and heavy fines will be applied also to the foreigners.

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6 comments

  1. The fines should be sufficient for OMPLETE restoration of the forest PLUS an additional amount to cover the loss until the forest is restored.

  2. These ignorant people must be prosecuted with the Maximum sentence.
    Made to witness what they have done.
    The yatch confiscated and sold for costs of replanting.
    And banned from greece .

  3. Load of money but no common sense or they just don’t care?🤔

  4. Ban fireworks in summer!

  5. It’s fair for the carless to pay for the cost of fire fighters and damage done
    Don’t let them just sail away

  6. Nobody_important

    Although I regret the damaged forest, I have to tell you that this sort of damage is par for the course when you encourage mass, uncontrolled tourism. Every country with excessive tourism is being damaged in multiple ways, and the ordinary people of each country are the ones who suffer. The politicians and their excessively wealthy friends and relatives are doing very well out of it, thank you. Tourism, like its corollary of inflated house prices, is a benefit mostly to the stinking rich. Don’t expect countries run by wealthy mafia families to do anything against tourism: all these people can smell, see and hear is MONEY.