Greek authorities arrested thirteen people on Saturday (June 22) on board a yacht following allegations that fireworks fired from the boat sparked a fire on the island of Hydra.
The fire, which burned part of the island’s only pine forest, was brought under control early Saturday.
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Fireworks fired from yacht in question
The people concerned will appear before a prosecutor on Sunday, the firefighters said in a press release. Neither the boat nor the people on board have been identified.
“These arrests come following allegations that the fire was started by fireworks fired from the yacht during the night from Friday to Saturday,” an official familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The official said the yacht’s passengers and crew members were arrested at a marina in the Athens area.
The “scandalized” mayor
The island of Hydra, located in the Saronic Gulf southwest of Athens, is popular with tourists and boaters.
“We are scandalized,” Hydra Mayor George Koukoudakis said on public television. “If this is true, it’s something that really saddens me. »
Firefighters were battling to contain dozens of fires fanned by strong winds across Greece’s southern islands and regions on Saturday.
