A 33-year-old Polish tourist is being treated in the intensive care unit of Agios Nikolaos Hospital on the Greek island of Crete after he was found unconscious in the sea near Ierapetra.
The man was discovered floating unconscious shortly after midnight on Tuesday, September 8, in the area of Agios Andreas, about 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) outside Ierapetra.
People at a nearby tavern spotted him and immediately alerted Greece’s emergency medical service, EKAV, and the Ierapetra Port Authority.
An ambulance from the Ierapetra EKAV sector arrived within minutes. Rescuers entered the sea, still wearing their clothes, to reach the man and pull him to shore.
The rescuers managed to restore his cardiac function before taking him to the emergency department of Ierapetra Hospital. Doctors continued efforts to stabilize him and determined that he needed to be intubated.
He was subsequently transferred to the intensive care unit at Agios Nikolaos Hospital, where he remains hospitalized. His condition is described as stable.
What happened before
According to information cited by neakriti.gr, the man had been vacationing in Crete with his partner, and the couple were staying at a five-star hotel in the area.
At around 8 p.m. Tuesday, the man proposed to his partner, to which she did not accept.
According to the same reports, an intense incident followed in the hotel room. The man caused significant damage by breaking objects before leaving the hotel.
He then headed toward the beach at Agios Andreas.
Reports indicate that he had consumed a large amount of alcohol and had told his partner that he intended to end his life.
Several hours later, he was found unconscious in the sea.
The prompt response from people at the nearby tavern and the immediate intervention of the rescuers proved critical in the effort to save him.
The Ierapetra Port Authority is conducting the preliminary investigation into the circumstances of the incident.
