A body recovered off the west coast of the small Dodecanese island of Symi has been identified as the German tourist who disappeared at sea on Sunday, bringing a tragic end to a days-long search following a sailing accident in region, the coast guard announced on Wednesday.
The victim was one of eight foreign nationals aboard a sailboat that encountered strong sea currents in waters near Symi on Sunday afternoon. Seven passengers were rescued during a large-scale operation, while the German man remained missing despite an extensive multi-day search by authorities.
According to the coast guard, the body was located earlier Wednesday west of Symi by a coast guard patrol vessel. It was transferred to the large island of Rhodes for an autopsy.
The incident began after the yacht was swept off course by powerful currents in the waters around Symi, prompting a coordinated rescue operation involving coast guard vessels and other emergency craft. Authorities reached seven occupants, but search efforts continued for the missing passenger until the discovery of his body.
