The nascent tourist season at the southwest airport of Araxos got off “on the wrong foot” this year, with an incident on Friday that caused embarrassment and concern.

Specifically, the incident occurred during the welcoming ceremony for a TUI aircraft, when, according to witnesses, company officials asked reporters and photographers to climb onto a boarding staircase – operated by another company – for a better shot. Around 10 to 15 people climbed up the stairs, which, however, had not been designed to sustain such a weight. The staircase gave way, resulting in three people being injured and hospitalized with light injuries.

The event was stopped immediately, while the scene at the site resembled an accident rather than a tourist welcome.

The German ambassador to Greece, Andreas Kindl, and the president of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO), Angeliki Vareli, were present at the event and subsequent mishap.