Greece bans all sea travel due to gale force winds as Turkey flights hit by cancellations
Authorities have banned all movements on the sea around key Greek ports amid wild weather which has also caused a travel chaos in Turkey where flights were cancelled
All sea travel has been halted around key Greek ports following the onslaught of gale force winds. The Greek authorities have imposed a sailing ban on ferries and ships from the ports of Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio due to wind speeds reaching 7 to 8 on the Beaufort scale locally, meaning many tourists were left stranded.
Ship itineraries to the islands of the Saronic Gulf are operating as usual, subject to the captain's consent and in adherence with all prescribed safety procedures, as reported by Keep Talking Greece.
Sstate broadcaster ERT said at midday on Sunday, June 29, the sailing ban remained in effect until 5 pm or 6 pm when an updated weather bulletin will be issued by the National Meteorological Service EMY.
Passengers planning to travel by sea are advised to contact local port authorities and travel agents or shipping companies for more accurate information regarding the execution of the itineraries including possible changes.
According to an ERT meteorologist, the winds are predicted to slightly weaken to 6-7 Beaufort on Monday, June 30, and further on Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
These changes come amidst further travel disruption in the region. Passengers bound for Turkey had their flights cancelled amid evacuations in the popular tourist country.
All take-offs and landings were suspended at Adnan Menderes Airport near Izmir on Sunday.
Wildfires wreaked havoc in Turkey, leading to significant disruption this weekend. An airport spokesman disclosed: "Due to the forest fire in İzmir's Gaziemir district and adverse weather conditions, including strong winds, İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport was temporarily closed to air traffic as of 16:00 local time. "Following the NOTAM [meaning notice to airmen], the runway has reopened and the first flight, PC 1864 to Ercan, has successfully departed at 21:50 local time.
Flight operations are gradually returning to normal. ".
Several flights didn't take off until late Sunday evening, subjecting travellers to hefty delays, stretching up to 21 hours. One particular London-bound service scheduled to depart from Turkey on Sunday evening has been delayed until Monday night.
The disturbances have affected a number of flights, both within the country and overseas, with delays plaguing passengers set for destinations such as London Stansted, Dublin, and Brussels.=
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