Tension prevailed last night on the MINOAN LINES ship “Knossos Palace”, when the scheduled intermediate stop at the port of Adamas on Milos was not made, due to an emergency ban.
The ship departed at 21:00 from Piraeus with Heraklion as its destination and an intermediate stop on Milos. However, around 23:30, while it was sailing, an EMY Emergency Announcement of Storm Force Winds was issued, resulting in the call at Milos being deemed dangerous for the safety of the 900 passengers. Thus, the ship continued directly to Heraklion.
The decision caused tension among the passengers who were to disembark on Milos, with the company announcing at midnight to the travelers that for safety reasons the itinerary was being modified. Simultaneously, MINOAN LINES in its official announcement states that for the better service of the passengers, it provided them with snacks, drinks, and breakfast, while it secured cabins until the afternoon for the 175 people who were destined for Milos. Their transfer will be done with the next scheduled trip.
At the same time, a minor passenger presented a health problem, resulting in the captain setting the engines to “full ahead”. The ship docked in Heraklion at 04:45, one hour and 45 minutes earlier than scheduled, so that the child could be transferred immediately by ambulance to Venizelio Hospital. First aid and oxygen were provided on the ship, however the Management of MINOAN LINES and the Captain, with the highest priority being safety and human life, in immediate communication and coordination with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, the Heraklion Port Authority, and the Venizelio Hospital of Heraklion, set the ship’s engines to “full ahead”, resulting in it approaching the port of Heraklion at 04:45 (one hour and 45 minutes earlier than expected), where the patient was received by an ambulance.
The Coast Guard in its announcement confirmed the incident and the rapid mobilization of the authorities, while MINOAN LINES in its announcement underlines that its priority remains the safety and service of the passengers, respecting the instructions of the competent services.
Source: APE-MPE
