Two suspects in Blue Horizon passenger’s death conditionally released
Two crew members accused of involvement in the death of a ferry passenger on 5 September were released on conditions on Friday, following a decision by the judicial council of misdemeanors,
The vice-captain and another crew member of the Blue Horizon ferry were banned from leaving the country and will have to appear at their local police department. The two suspects were referred to the council after a disagreement between the investigative magistrate and the prosecutor on whether to detain them until their trial.
Antonis Karyotis, aged 36, was pushed from the ramp of the ferry into the sea and drowned as the Crete-bound ferry was about to leave the port of Piraeus. A video of the incident showed the victim being pushed three times before he ended up in the sea. None of the crew members attempted to help him.
A leaked recording of radio conversations between the crew appeared to reveal racist attitudes, with the ship’s master heard saying that he thought the passenger was a foreigner.
“I thought he didn’t have a ticket,” he said. “I thought he was black, a Pakistani.”
Two more people have been charged in connection with his death. The ship’s master was charged with homicide with possible intent, and the other two with complicity, while the captain was charged with severe breaches of shipping regulations. The ship’s master and the captain remain in prison.
