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A jury in Piraeus, Greece, found the captain and first officer of an interisland ferry guilty in a tragic 2023 case where a late-arriving passenger was pushed to his death as the ferry departed port. The court rejected claims that the act was spontaneous, while prosecutors argued that nothing was done to save the victim and that the ferry continued sailing despite the fatal incident.
The incident, in which 36-year-old Antonis Kargiotis was pushed from the car ramp of the departing ferry Blue Horizon, sparked national outrage in Greece after videos surfaced on social media. The ferry’s stern ramp was still down—a violation of maritime protocols—when Kargiotis ran up and jumped onto it. A scuffle ensued between him and a crewmember as the ferry began moving. In the video, the crewmember appeared to push Kargiotis off the ramp into the harbor, where he was caught in the wake and drowned while crew members and horrified passengers watched.
Kargiotis’ family argued that, even if he did not have a ticket, he could have purchased one onboard or that the crew could have detained him and handed him over to the Coast Guard or police. Prosecutors contended that, in addition to deliberately pushing the passenger, the crew made no effort to help him after he fell into the water.
Charges were filed against the captain, the first officer—who was on the ramp and pushed Kargiotis—as well as the second officer and a boatswain, who were also at the stern when the vessel departed. The incident occurred on September 5, 2023, at 21:00 as the Blue Horizon departed Piraeus for Heraklion, Crete. The ferry continued sailing and did not return to port for approximately 40 minutes—only doing so after the port authority and coast guard demanded its return.
Court Ruling and Sentences
Defense attorneys for the captain argued there was no intent to cause death, citing failures in port security and the role of the coast guard. Attorneys for the first officer claimed his actions were a spontaneous reaction to a late arriver attempting to board, arguing there was no intent to cause harm. The defense sought to downgrade the charges from manslaughter to negligence, but the court rejected the request.
The jury convicted the first officer of manslaughter, sentencing him to 12.5 years in prison. The captain was convicted for allowing the ferry to depart after a fatal incident and attempting to cover up the crime, receiving a sentence of 7 years and 5 months. The court noted that the sentences were reduced due to their previously clean records.
Defense lawyers requested suspended sentences pending appeal, but the court denied the request and ordered the captain and first officer to be imprisoned immediately while their appeals are pending.
Meanwhile, the second officer and boatswain were acquitted. They had been charged with complicity in the murder with possible intent, but video evidence showed that one stood at the entrance of the garage while the other only approached during the scuff
