It seems that the death of the 39-year-old immigrant from Kuwait, who fell dead during a pursuit by the Coast Guard of a high-speed boat in Symi carrying immigrants from Turkey, was caused by a fireball.

All on board were Kuwaiti nationals, including 5 minor children. They were transferred to Symi, where the preliminary investigation takes place.

According to a report by SKAI, a boat from the coast of Turkey attempted to transport 15 migrants to Symi. It was spotted by a Coast Guard patrol boat, which gave chase. The operators of the speedboat disobeyed orders from the Coast Guard to stop and sped up to escape. Thus, the chase began.

According to the latest release from the Coast Guard, the speedboat operator attempted to ram the Coast Guard vessel, among other things. One of the Coast Guard crew members opened fire, first firing three times into the air as an intimidation, then firing two more shots to disable the speedboat’s engine.

A preliminary investigation into the case is conducted by the maritime court prosecutor. He requested the arrest of the crew member and the confiscation of his weapon, as provided for in these investigative procedures.

The announcement of the Coast Guard in detail:

“In the morning hours today, a patrol boat of the L.S.-EL.AKT. which was carrying out a scheduled patrol, spotted a suspicious high-speed (T/X) vessel in the sea area northwest of Symi.

The T/X polyester boat, as soon as it noticed the presence of the patrol boat L.S. (PLS), developed speed in order to escape. A chase followed by the PLS, with the use of sound and visual signals, to which the T/X did not comply, repeatedly executing extremely dangerous maneuvers and ramming the PLS on the left side, specifically close to the captain’s position, putting the physical integrity at immediate risk of the PLS crew members.

In order to prevent immediate danger to the PLS and its crew, warning shots were first fired without effect, and then targeted shots were fired at the outboard engine intended to immobilize the speedboat. After stopping the boat, an inspection was carried out on the speedboat by the PLS crew, where it was found that a 39-year-old man had been fatally injured, possibly by a fireball.

The 39-year-old was transported by another patrol boat of the LS-EL.AKT. in the port of Rhodes and was transported to the General Hospital of Rhodes, in order for a necropsy to be carried out by the Forensic Service of Rhodes.

A total of fourteen (14) foreigners were on board the T/X (5 minors, 8 men, 1 woman), while the Symi Port Authority, which is conducting the preliminary investigation, arrested two (02) foreigners who were identified as traffickers, for violation of nos. 82 and 83 of Law 3386/2005, no. 25 par. 1 sec. b of Law 5038/2023 and 306 of the P.K. and the T/X vessel was seized”.