Fisherman convicted for throwing dead snorkeller back into the sea
A Volos court has handed a fisherman a 22 month suspected sentence after finding him guilty of pulling the body of a snorkeller from the sea and then throwing it back in the water.
In September 2021 the 55-year-old fisherman found the body of the diver in his nets while fishing near Xynovrysi in Pelion.
The 74-year-old diver had been reported missing the day before.
Instead of notifying the authorities, the fisherman decided to return the body to the sea, telling the court he was scared and panicked. Coast guard officials believe that he returned to the spot later that day and, finding the body still trapped in the nets, he it free.
The court also found him guilty of manslaughter as the diver had become ensnared in his nets.
In his defence, the fisherman said that he had placed two buoys over the nets and the victim should not have been snorkelling there.
Coast guard, a private diver and other volunteers later retrieved the snorkeller’s body, five meters from the shore.
