Authorities in Greece are investigating a maritime incident near Nea Styra, in southern Evia, where a passenger ferry ran aground on a reef and has remained stranded for over 14 hours. The ship’s captain and the vessel’s owner are now being referred to the public prosecutor, as the situation raises concerns about public safety and environmental protection.

Grounding Near Glaros Islet

The ferry Panagia Paravouniotissa, operating the Agia Marina–Styra route, ran aground on a shallow reef near the islet of Glaros on Tuesday afternoon. While no injuries were reported, the 105 passengers on board were left without information from the crew and experienced significant delays before being safely evacuated to shore by private boats. The vessel was also carrying nine crew members.

Περιπολία του πλωτού σκάφους του Λιμεναρχείου Ναυπλίου στο κόλπο της Καραθώνας, Σάββατο 24 Μαρτίου 2018. ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ/ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ/ΜΠΟΥΓΙΩΤΗΣ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΟΣ

The reef near Glaros is a well-known hazard, marked on maritime charts, located in a narrow and exposed channel between Agia Marina and Nea Styra. Navigational errors in this area—particularly during changes in current or even slight course deviations—can lead to groundings, as in this case.

Delayed Response Raises Concerns

Greece’s Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy has accused the ferry’s owning company of failing to initiate the required procedures for dislodging and salvaging the vessel, even after more than 14 hours had passed since the incident. Authorities say no salvage plan had been submitted by the early hours of Wednesday morning, raising concerns about both public property and marine environmental safety.

Additionally, the captain reportedly failed to notify maritime authorities immediately after the grounding. Contact was only made by the Coast Guard’s Search and Rescue Coordination Center after repeated attempts—approximately one hour after the incident occurred.

Legal and Environmental Implications

As the preliminary investigation continues, the focus is now on whether negligence contributed to the accident and on ensuring the swift removal of the vessel from the reef. The lack of immediate action by the shipowner and the delay in reporting by the captain have prompted calls for legal accountability and stricter enforcement of maritime safety protocols.