Forest fire in Greece: Anger over fireworks on yacht in Hydra

Thirteen people have been arrested following a forest fire on the Greek island of Hydra. Authorities said the blaze was sparked by fireworks set off from a superyacht.

Friday’s fire destroyed 300 hectares of the only pine forest on the famous tourist island south of Athens, said Greek Climate Minister Vassilis Kikilias.

The flames were brought under control, but with difficulty. Since there are no roads to the beach, firefighters had to reach it by sea, while helicopters dropped water from the air.

Greek media reported that all those arrested were crew members of the superyacht Persephoni, which is available for charter this summer from 249,000 euros (211,200 pounds; $269,300) per week, according to several online luxury yacht retailers.

The public prosecutor’s office has requested the confiscation of the ship, Kikilias was quoted as saying.

Several local media reported, citing court documents, that the visitors on the yacht were 17 Kazakh citizens who have since left Greece. However, the BBC could not independently confirm this.

On Sunday morning, the crew was filmed entering the public prosecutor’s office in Piraeus, wearing matching work uniforms and covering their faces with sunglasses, masks and hats.

There are disputes between the Greek coast guard and the fire department.

Local media reports that the fire service is relying on the testimony of the captain of a nearby ship, who allegedly saw flares or fireworks being fired from Persephoni. However, the coast guard says there is no evidence of this.

The suspected cause of the fire has caused outrage in Greece, which is already battling several forest fires and is currently experiencing the first heatwave of the year.

“We are outraged that some people are so irresponsibly throwing fireworks into a pine forest,” Hydra’s mayor Giorgos Koukoudakis told Greek broadcaster ERT on Saturday.

There was also hostility on social media: “Rich people with more money than sense,” wrote one.

There has been an increased forest fire warning in Greece since Tuesday. Authorities are preparing for a difficult summer as persistent drought, strong winds and high temperatures are expected.

On Friday, a 55-year-old volunteer firefighter died from injuries sustained while fighting a fire in the southern region of Ilia on the Peloponnese peninsula.

Greece is prone to forest fires during the summer, and scientists are linking the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including heatwaves, to climate change.

However, the country also has a problem with arsonists – last August, at least 79 people were arrested in connection with deadly forest fires.

At the beginning of the year, Greece introduced stricter laws against arson. Perpetrators now face up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to 200,000 euros.