Latest news with #Vietnamese tourists
Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- Climate
- Al Arabiya
Firefighters battle blaze near Athens for second day
Hundreds of firefighters in Greece on Saturday battled for a second day to contain a large wildfire near Athens that killed one person, as strong winds raised fears it could spread further. More than 260 firefighters, backed by nearly 80 fire engines and 12 aircraft, were deployed in Keratea, a rural area about 43 kilometers (27 miles) southeast of Athens, the fire department said. Dozens of people were evacuated Friday from homes and an elderly care facility as flames approached the coastal resort of Palea Fokea. Firefighters later found the remains of an elderly man in a hut near Keratea. Separately, gale-force winds on Friday caused the deaths of two Vietnamese tourists who fell into the sea at Sarakiniko beach on the island of Milos. The coastguard said a 61-year-old woman had fallen into the water, and a 65-year-old man died trying to save her. Winds of up to 74 kilometers (46 miles) an hour were forecast Saturday, with ferry travel disrupted for thousands of summer holidaymakers before a sailing ban at Athens ports was lifted.
Arab News
3 days ago
- Climate
- Arab News
Firefighters battle blaze near Athens for second day
ATHENS: Hundreds of firefighters on Saturday battled for a second day a large wildfire near Athens that left one dead, with strong winds raising fears it could spread. A fire department spokesman said over 260 firefighters with nearly 80 fire engines and 12 aircraft were deployed in Keratea, a rural area some 43 kilometers (27 miles) southeast of Athens. 'The fire has weakened but there are still active pockets,' the spokesman told AFP. Dozens of people were evacuated late Friday from homes and an elderly care center as the flames neared the nearby coastal resort of Palea Fokea. Firefighters later found the remains of an elderly man in a hut near Keratea. Gale-force winds on Friday also caused the deaths of two Vietnamese tourists who fell into the sea at Sarakiniko beach on the Cycladic island of Milos. The 61-year-old woman and 65-year-old man were on a cruise ship group visiting the lunar-like, volcanic rock beach, the coast guard said. A coast guard spokeswoman told AFP the woman had fallen into the water, and the man had tried to help her. Greece's national weather service EMY said winds of up to 74 kilometers (46 miles) an hour were forecast for Saturday. The weather on Friday disrupted ferry travel for tens of thousands of summer holidaymakers. A sailing ban on Athens ports was lifted Saturday.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Climate
- News.com.au
Two tourists die, fires erupt in Greece amid gale-force winds
Two Vietnamese tourists died at sea in Greece on Friday, the coastguard said, as gale-force winds confined many ferries to port, disrupting tens of thousands of summer travellers, and sparked wildfires. A coastguard spokeswoman said a man and woman had died at the Sarakiniko beach on the tourist island of Milos in the Cyclades, as firefighters battled blazes near Athens and on the island of Cephalonia. "The man and woman were found unconscious in the sea and were taken to the local health centre," the spokeswoman said. "They were Vietnamese tourists on a cruise ship group. The woman fell in the water and the man apparently tried to save her," she said. The civil protection ministry had said wind gusts would reach 88 kilometres (54 miles) an hour, especially in the southern Aegean and the Sea of Crete. More than 200 firefighters backed by 11 water bombers and seven helicopters were battling a fire in Keratea, southeast of Athens, Costas Tsigkas, head of the association of Greek firefighter officers, told ERT state television. "It's a difficult fire... (owing) to wind gusts," he said, adding that several communities had been evacuated. "The fire front is seven kilometres, homes are under threat," a local mayor, Dimitris Loukas, told ERT, adding that the wind was complicating efforts to douse the blaze from the air. The Cephalonia fire was earlier placed under control, local officials said. National weather service EMY said the winds would weaken after midnight. - 'Left stranded' - The coastguard said most ferries were unable to depart on schedule from Piraeus and other Athens ports, especially to the Cyclades or Dodecanese islands. Several services were cancelled and others postponed. At Piraeus, hundreds of people crowded outside a ferry that was bound for the Cycladic islands of Paros and Naxos, waiting for news on a possible departure. Nearby, stranded travellers surrounded by rucksacks and suitcases formed a huge queue outside a ticket office and made desperate phone calls hoping to make rearrangements to save their journeys. "There's huge lines, huge commotion, everyone's waiting in the sun and it's a very tough time," said Philip Elias, an American tourist. Sergi Gros, a 51-year-old civil servant from Spain, said he was scrambling to find last-minute accommodation in Athens for two nights, having already lost his booking on the island of Astypalea. "We arrived at 6:45 in the morning and they told us the ferry was cancelled," Gros told AFP, saying there was a "total lack of information". "I don't think (the hotel) can be refunded because it's not their fault. It's a great shame because we booked with a big (ferry) company, and there are people who reserve months in advance... they left us stranded," he said. Maritime connections with the Saronic islands near Athens including Aegina, Hydra, Poros and Spetses and the Ionian Sea were unaffected, the coastguard said. Strong winds are common in Greece at this time of year, and firefighters have already faced several major blazes this summer, including on the islands of Evia and Chios and in the western Peloponnese.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Two tourists die, fires erupt in Greece amid gale-force winds
Two Vietnamese tourists died at sea in Greece on Friday, the coastguard said, as gale-force winds confined many ferries to port, disrupting tens of thousands of summer travellers, and sparked wildfires. A coastguard spokeswoman said a man and woman had died at the Sarakiniko beach on the tourist island of Milos in the Cyclades, as firefighters battled blazes near Athens and on the island of Cephalonia. "The man and woman were found unconscious in the sea and were taken to the local health centre," the spokeswoman said. "They were Vietnamese tourists on a cruise ship group. The woman fell in the water and the man apparently tried to save her," she said. The civil protection ministry had said wind gusts would reach 88 kilometres (54 miles) an hour, especially in the southern Aegean and the Sea of Crete. More than 200 firefighters backed by 11 water bombers and seven helicopters were battling a fire in Keratea, southeast of Athens, Costas Tsigkas, head of the association of Greek firefighter officers, told ERT state television. "It's a difficult fire... (owing) to wind gusts," he said, adding that several communities had been evacuated. "The fire front is seven kilometres, homes are under threat," a local mayor, Dimitris Loukas, told ERT, adding that the wind was complicating efforts to douse the blaze from the air. The Cephalonia fire was earlier placed under control, local officials said. National weather service EMY said the winds would weaken after midnight. - 'Left stranded' - The coastguard said most ferries were unable to depart on schedule from Piraeus and other Athens ports, especially to the Cyclades or Dodecanese islands. Several services were cancelled and others postponed. At Piraeus, hundreds of people crowded outside a ferry that was bound for the Cycladic islands of Paros and Naxos, waiting for news on a possible departure. Nearby, stranded travellers surrounded by rucksacks and suitcases formed a huge queue outside a ticket office and made desperate phone calls hoping to make rearrangements to save their journeys. "There's huge lines, huge commotion, everyone's waiting in the sun and it's a very tough time," said Philip Elias, an American tourist. Sergi Gros, a 51-year-old civil servant from Spain, said he was scrambling to find last-minute accommodation in Athens for two nights, having already lost his booking on the island of Astypalea. "We arrived at 6:45 in the morning and they told us the ferry was cancelled," Gros told AFP, saying there was a "total lack of information". "I don't think (the hotel) can be refunded because it's not their fault. It's a great shame because we booked with a big (ferry) company, and there are people who reserve months in advance... they left us stranded," he said. Maritime connections with the Saronic islands near Athens including Aegina, Hydra, Poros and Spetses and the Ionian Sea were unaffected, the coastguard said. Strong winds are common in Greece at this time of year, and firefighters have already faced several major blazes this summer, including on the islands of Evia and Chios and in the western Peloponnese. imm-jph-hec/js
The Sun
3 days ago
- Climate
- The Sun
Holiday carnage with thousands left stranded & two dead after gale force winds batter Greece & shut down ferries
THOUSANDS have been left stranded and two dead after gale force winds have pummelled Greece. Travel plans have been disrupted for hundreds of holidaygoers bound for the Cyclades and other Aegean islands. 3 3 3 A sailing ban has been issued as authorities have urged travellers to seek alternative routes. Two Vietnamese tourists died at sea in Greece on Friday, the coastguard said, as gale-force winds confined many ferries to port. The raging winds have disrupted travel for tens of thousands of summer travellers, and also sparked fires. A coastguard spokeswoman said a man and woman had died at the Sarakiniko beach on the tourist island of Milos in the Cyclades, as firefighters battled blazes near Athens and the island of Cephalonia. "The man and woman were found unconscious in the sea and were taken to the local health centre," the spokeswoman said. "They were Vietnamese tourists on a cruise ship group. The woman fell in the water and the man apparently tried to save her," she said. The civil protection ministry said wind gusts would reach 88 kilometres (54 miles) an hour, especially in the southern Aegean and the Sea of Crete. Over 200 firefighters backed by three aircraft and five helicopters were battling a fire in Keratea, east of Athens, Costas Tsigkas, head of the association of Greek firefighter officers, told ERT state television. "It's a difficult fire...(owing) to wind gusts," he said, adding that a number of local communities had been evacuated. The Cephalonia fire was earlier placed under control, local officials said. National weather service EMY said the phenomenon would weaken after midnight. The coastguard said most ferries were unable to depart on schedule from Piraeus and other Athens ports, especially to the Cyclades or Dodecanese islands. Several planned ferries were cancelled while others were postponed. Maritime connections with the Saronic islands near Athens including Aegina, Hydra, Poros and Spetses and the Ionian Sea are unaffected, it said. The Athens National Observatory in a statement also warned there was a "very high potential for wind-driven forest fires", particularly in the east and south of the country. The mayor of Athens had shut down the National Garden on Thursday after a tree fell in one of the capital's busiest high streets, narrowly missing shoppers. Strong winds are common in Greece at this time of year.
