Two Vietnamese tourists have drowned after being swept into the sea by strong winds while visiting a beach on the Greek island of Milos, the country’s embassy in Greece has confirmed.
The incident took place on Friday at Sarakiniko Beach, a popular tourist destination known for its white volcanic cliffs.
According to the Greek authorities, the victims were a couple from Vietnam and both in their 50s. They had arrived in Milos as part of a cruise ship group that had disembarked at the island’s port of Adamas earlier in the day, according to Greek state broadcaster ERT.
They had gone to Sarakiniko to take photographs when the woman was swept into the sea by powerful gusts of wind. Her companion jumped in after her in an attempt to rescue her, but both were overcome by the turbulent waters. Their bodies were later recovered by the Greek coastguard and taken to hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
“The man and woman were found unconscious in the sea and were taken to the local health centre,” a coastguard spokeswoman told AFP. “They were Vietnamese tourists on a cruise ship group. The woman fell in the water and the man apparently tried to save her.”
The Vietnamese embassy in Greece confirmed the deaths late on Saturday and said it had been in contact with both Greek authorities and the victims’ families in Vietnam.
In a statement, the embassy said it was working closely with officials and the travel company involved to investigate the incident and assist with funeral arrangements. It also issued a warning advising Vietnamese nationals travelling in Greece to avoid approaching cliff edges or venturing into the sea during periods of high wind.
Giorgos Vallis, president of the Panhellenic Association of Yacht Crews, told ERT that access to certain beaches should be restricted during extreme weather.
“When such phenomena occur, port authorities should close off the area to prevent people from taking photos or jumping from the rocks into the sea,” he said. “After the weather clears, visitors can safely return.”
Much of southern Greece is currently experiencing severe weather conditions, with the country’s civil protection ministry warning of wind speeds reaching up to 88kmph in parts of the Aegean and Crete on the day of the incident.
The Athens National Observatory also issued alerts for a “very high potential for wind-driven forest fires,” particularly in the east and south.
Ferry services between Athens and the Cyclades were heavily disrupted by the gale-force winds, leaving travellers stranded at ports in Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio. Several sailings were cancelled, while others faced long delays.
Footage from Piraeus showed queues of tourists waiting outside ticket offices, many trying to rebook journeys to islands such as Paros and Naxos.
Wildfires also flared across parts of the country, including near the town of Keratea east of Athens and on the Ionian island of Cephalonia. More than 200 firefighters, aided by aircraft and helicopters, were deployed to tackle the flames in Keratea, where homes and farmland were threatened.
