An arrested human trafficker in handcuffs escaped from the ferry taking him to the island of Lesvos to stand trial. He was was escorted by four police officers.
Despite being handcuffed with his hands on his back, the 32-year-old Turkish national jumped in the dark waters approximately 1,5 km off shore of Chios island at around 3:20 in the early morning hours of Sunday. He was arrested in July.
According to media, the man “was pretending sleeping on the floor of the ferry’s lounge, when he suddenly jumped off and starting to run toward the deck as another passenger had just opened to door to go out for a smoke.
A Search and Rescue operation was immediately launched and continued also on Monday, however, it looks as if he was vanished into the sea.
A video broadcast by ANT1 showed the darkness of the night and the Aegean Sea and how the ferry crew tried to locate the man with big lights in the water.
The SAR has been reportedly focusing in the North-East of Chios, where two coast guard vessels are patrolling the waters. Police and coast guard officers are also combing the shores of nearby Oinousses.
According to state broadcaster ERT reported that four police officers escorting the prisoner and other detainees were taken Sunday to the main coast guard station in Mytilene, which has launched a preliminary investigation.
The officers were in custody until Monday morning, when they appeared before a prosecutor and requested more time to prepare their defense. They were released and are expected to testify on Wednesday.
Police have also opened an internal disciplinary investigation.
Now the main question is: Can someone survive in the sea with his hands handcuffed on his back?
One scenario heard on the media today was that the man decided to commit suicide.
A second – “typical Greek” – scenario claims that he was a former member of the Seals of the Turkish Navy trained to swim even in very tough conditions, especially as such training would make it possible for him to swim the 1.5 km.
They even expressed the question whether he was in contact with somebody awaiting for him on a boat.
The man arrested on July 7 by Lesvos port officials on suspicion of migrant smuggling. He had been held at Athens’ Korydallos Prison and was being transferred to Lesvos to stand trial.
Did he contact somebody while in Athens prison? Possible.
Was he drowned off Chios? Possible, too.
