Heavy shipping traffic on long weekend

Nearly 40,000 passengers left for the islands from Attica ports Saturday, taking advantage of the long weekend, port authorities in Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio said.

Sixty-five more departures were due to take place Sunday, 48 from Piraeus, 13 from Rafina and 4 from Lavrio.

A catamaran ferry, Flying Cat 4, had an engine mishap Sunday and could only disembark passengers and vehicles on its first destination, Poros. About 170 passengers had to wait for other ships to take them to the islands of Hydra and Spetses.