POTHITOS III

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Latest news

Investigation into sinking launched

After the sinking of the 'Pothitos III' at the island port of Patmos on Oct 21 at about 06.40 a.m. while assisting the inbound cruise ship 'Azamara Journey' in a bay east of Patmos, an investigation was launched into the circumstances by the Patmos Port Authority. The cruise ship suddenly dragged the tug, while the circumstances have not been formally established The deckhand, aged 26, abandoned ship and was rescued by a launch from the cruise ship and was returned safely to the port. The skipper, 45, was recovered unresponsive from inside the wreck by a team of private divers. He was transported to a nearby health center, where his death was confirmed. The local port authority has requested an autopsy. The tug is in deep enough water that it will not hinder navigation. The 'Azamara Journey' routinely calls at Patmos, Mykonos, Rhodes, and elsewhere in the Greek isles. The same evening, she departed Patmos for her next destination, Santorini.

One man died when tug sank during assistance

In the evening hours of Oct 21, 2022, the 'Pothitos III" sank during mooring operations of the cruise ship 'Azamara Journey' in the port of Patmos, under unspecified circumstances. Two crew members were on board the tug, the 45-year-old skipper and the 26-year-old engineer. The local emergency plan was immediately implemented by the Port Authority of Patmos and under the coordination of the Unified Search and Rescue Coordination Center in order to locate the crew of the tug with the participation of a patrol vessel, the 'Irini', the 'Sarantis', the 'Irida' and private divers. After a person was located in alifeboat, a rescue boat was launched. The 26-year-old was picked up in good health by the lifeboat and transferred to the 'Irini', which took him to the central port of Patmos. Afterwards, the 45-year-old skipper was found unconscious, inside the sunken ship, by a private diver and was transported by an ambulance to the K.Y. Patmos, where his death was confirmed. The Port Authority of Patmos, which is conducting the preliminary investigation, ordered a necropsy, while no marine pollution was observed from the incident.