Today is a day of remembrance and mourning for Chania, as it marks 57 years since the shipwreck of the ship “Heraklion” off the island of Falconera and 54 years since the crash of an Olympic Aviation plane on Mount Keratea.

In the two tragedies, 314 people lost their lives, with December 8 marked by a decision of the city’s municipal council, which was taken on December 9, 1969, as a day of rest for Chania.

Wreck of the Falconera

On December 8, 1966, the ship “Heraklion”, which was sailing from the port of Souda to Piraeus, sank in the early hours of the morning near the rocky island of Falconera, 23 n.m. northwest of Milos, due to displacement of cargo and after inflow of water from the hatch of the ship, resulting in the death of 224 people.

However, the exact number of passengers remains unclear, as at that time tickets were also issued inside the ship, where according to the testimonies of survivors at the time there were other passengers, who have not been recorded anywhere.

47 of those on board were rescued from the wreck.

Crash of the “Island of Corfu”

Three years later, on December 8, 1969, an Olympic Aviation plane flying the Chania-Athens route crashed on Mount Keratea, resulting in the loss of their lives 85 passengers and five crew members.

The aircraft with registration SX-DAE was a Douglas DC-6B, named “Corfu Island”.

The aircraft crashed into the mountain above Keratea, 21 nautical miles southeast of Ellinikos airport, minutes before landing.