To the Prosecutor the captain and three crew members of the Blue Horizon

They were brought to the Piraeus public prosecutor four of the Blue Horizon crew arrested after the tragic death of a 36-year-old man from the ship’s catapult last night.

According to information, the charge against them is joint manslaughter but also the violation of articles of the Code of Public Maritime Law.

New video-document of the murder of 36-year-old Antonis – “It’s a crime”, says his brother

Anger and sadness overflow the island, especially in Agios Nikolaoswhere the unfortunate man lived and was especially beloved.

The first reaction was shock! No one could believe what they were seeing, though the images in the videos that since yesterday have been playing over and over in all of our minds cause disgust, sadness and anger.

Watch video from the moment the Blue Horizon sails away while Antonis is at sea. Passengers on another ship are shouting for helpwhile Antonis fights for his life in the sea. The 36-year-old, according to testimonies, did not even know how to swim. However, the eddy from the ship’s engines is so strong, that it is doubtful that he would have managed to save himself, even if he had known, since no one, after all, helped him:

Tragic!! There are no words!! #bluehorizon #Piraeus #murder pic.twitter.com/CJNLnPxNNy

— Trambakoulas ®️ official gray tick (@Trambakoulas2) September 6, 2023

A man who, as described, was always with a smile on his face, loved by all and never hurt anyone, he is no longer with us.

The 36-year-old Antonis hurried to enter the ship that was ready to set sailas it became known he had a ticketthough that doesn’t really matter. Two crew members push him, he falls into the sea and is lost.

So violently, in front of the passengers who don’t stop shouting.

Crete demands Justice

The man came from Agios Nikolaos and on Tuesday night he met a tragic death in the port of Piraeus, when in his attempt to board the ship “Blue Horizon” he was prevented by crew members who face the charge of joint homicide and violation of relevant articles of the Public Maritime Law Code – and will be brought before the Piraeus public prosecutor.

Speaking to APE-MPE, the mayor of Agios Nikolaos, Antonis Zervos, said that the 36-year-old was a peaceful man who had never caused problems in the area, while he expressed his sadness over the incident and asked for justice to be served.

“We are deeply saddened by this incident and the unjust loss of a fellow citizen, who was well known in the area and had never caused any trouble. It goes without saying that we demand that those responsible for this inhuman incident be brought to justice.” said the mayor of Agios Nikolaos.

It’s murder, his brother says

In shock o brother of 36-year-old Antonis which the ship’s crew threw into the sea: “This is a crime, this is murder”

He lived with one of his brothers, who was informed of Antonis’ tragic death early in the morning. The man could not stand hearing the tragic news and bent down. He was taken to the hospital where he is being treated.

The words of another are heartbreaking brother of the 36-year-oldwho reported how he was informed of the tragic incident.

“He was loved by the whole world, all of Agios Nikolaos and that is no exaggeration. Ask anyone you want about my brother” we were told by the brother of the deceased Antonis, Nikos K.

“My brother” continues Nikos, “He was a kid who helped everyone. He didn’t have a steady job, he hadn’t learned any art, he hadn’t studied, but he loved everyone and helped them”.

According to the same, his brother had gone on a trip to see his friends in Athens. “He often traveled to Athens to see his friends. It is impossible that he did not have a ticket. Always before leaving Crete, he had bought the return ticket. The port officials told me he had some change on him, he had bought a ticket, I believe.”

He was informed at 3 in the morning about the incredible incident by a port guard in Agios Nikolaos. “We don’t know anything else and we are waiting for information.”

Regarding the video that saw the light of day, the 36-year-old’s brother reported seeing them. “This is a crime, this is murder”he stated.

The journalist Giorgos Dounakis from Crete, who knew the victim, wrote about Antonis:

Antonis K. lived 36 difficult years in the workers’ housing in Agios Nikolaos together with his mother and his two brothers…

Without a job and what they call nowadays potential he helped anyone who asked him in exchange for a pocket money or some food for the house…

No other income since the day he lost his mother in a life that for most would seem like a real Calvaryhe himself continued to ride his bike and fight for a handful of euros or a few bites of food always with an inexplicable smile…

In a cruel world that easily rejects, marginalizes and many times stigmatizes the different, he paid with his life for being late to board that damned ship last night in Piraeus…

Antonis, who is worth noting, had issued a regular ticket (not all those rumors are true that he tried to get in with the way I want without paying)… he couldn’t react like probably all of us when that biped was pushing him on the catapult…

Antonis was not one to argue, maybe he was laughing awkwardly, maybe he thought it was a joke, a bad joke…

Until he found himself in the void…

Maybe he was even smiling while saying goodbye to our cruel and unfair world…

Before he could even realize what he did wrong and had to pay with his life for it…

I knew Antonis a little… very little like most people in this place… who is just thinking of paying off the “obligation” with a public funeral…

But many may be thinking about these moments like me…

How we all live by chance in this world and leave as soon as this luck abandons us or someone responsible – irresponsible decides wrongly or accidentally…

For Antonis, well-known criminologists will not be bought… On the contrary, in his case, the cover-up may turn out to be very easy…

But with fellow citizen Antonis, the head of the Coast Guard, I expect to see some things from the moment everything happened in the largest port of the country and there is a record of the incident…

And then maybe Antonis will be able to ride his bike up there again and smile as he did throughout his short and difficult life…