Boats collide in Greek waters, leaving two dead

Xinhua | Published: August 10, 2019 12:05:15 | Updated: August 12, 2019 19:53:08

Photo collected from internet has been used for representational purpose only

Two boats collided on Friday night in the Argolic Gulf, east of Peloponnese peninsula, Greece, two men lost their lives during the accident, and a woman was seriously injured, Hellenic Coast Guard confirmed on Friday.

The accident took place between Porto Cheli and Spetses island, a popular weekend destination, about three hours away from Athens.

Greek media reported that an inflatable boat with 10 foreign tourists aboard crashed into a wooden fishing boat with three Greek occupants, victims of the accident.

The mayor of Spetses, Panagiotis Lyrakis told local media that the speedboat run over the wooden boat which sank immediately. The wounded woman was transported to a nearby hospital.

Coast Guard boats, water taxis and members of the Navy's Underwater Missions Unit rushed to help in the rescue operation and identify any missing persons in the maritime area where the boats collided, Greek national news agency AMNA reported.

The circumstances of the crash have not yet been clarified, but it is estimated that the speedboat operator did not see the wooden boat overnight.