What Crew Members Say About Blue-Star-Chios

On January 15, 2026, at approximately noon, the Central Port Authority of Lavrio received urgent notification regarding the 'Blue Star Chios,' which altered its course to seek immediate assistance at Lavrio port. The vessel had discovered an 88-year-old female passenger of Albanian descent unconscious in her cabin and required urgent medical intervention. Upon arrival at the port, emergency services swiftly transported the passenger to the General Hospital of Attica, where she was unfortunately pronounced dead. The cruise ship had set sail from Piraeus and was destined for several stops, including Thira, Heraklion, Sitia, Kasos, Karpathos, and Rhodes. In light of the circumstances, the Central Port Authority of Lavrio initiated a preliminary investigation and mandated an autopsy to understand the cause of this tragic event.

In response to the tragic death of a crew member from the 'Blue Star Chios', the seafarers' union PEMEN organized a 24-hour strike on September 25, 2023, causing significant disruptions at the port of Piraeus, Greece. This strike halted all ferry services to the Aegean islands and Crete, although some routes to the Saronic islands remained operational. The incident involved an engine maintenance worker who was fatally crushed by a bulkhead door on the ferry servicing Rhodes. Initially, the union targeted the 'Blue Star Chios' for action but soon escalated to a full-scale strike at Piraeus port to demand accountability and safety. Meanwhile, another crew member was hospitalized on the same day after suffering an electrocution during maintenance work on an Adriatic Sea ferry. The ship involved in this incident will remain in port until a thorough investigation is conducted.

On the morning of September 24, a distressing incident unfolded involving a 20-year-old cleaner aboard the passenger vessel 'Blue Star Chios'. The Tzelepi Port Authority received reports indicating that the young crew member had suffered fatal injuries after becoming trapped in a watertight door of the ship. The 'Blue Star Chios' was en route, on a scheduled journey from Rhodes, making stops at Chalki, Diafani, Karpathos, Kassos, Anafi, Thira, before ultimately heading to Piraeus. Following the accident, the ship diverted to Piraeus, where emergency services were alerted. An ambulance transported the gravely injured man to the Tzaneio General Hospital of Piraeus, where he was sadly pronounced dead upon arrival. In the aftermath of this tragic event, the 1st Port Department of Tzelepi, under the Central Port Authority of Piraeus, initiated a preliminary investigation. As part of the inquiry, the ship's Master and First Engineer were arrested, charged with 'Murder by negligence' under Article 302 of the Criminal Code. They have since been brought to the Piraeus First Instance Prosecutor's Office and were temporarily released as a preliminary examination is carried out.

In a startling incident on the morning of August 5, a 36-year-old Greek passenger took a dramatic plunge into the waters as the ferry 'Blue Star Chios' docked at the port of Pigadia, Karpathos. Quick to act, the crew and officials from the Port Authority sprang into action, deploying life jackets to aid in the rescue. The passenger was successfully retrieved from the sea and promptly transported to the General Hospital of Karpathos for medical evaluation. He is currently under observation. The Karpathos Port Authority has initiated a preliminary investigation into this unusual event.

In the early hours of July 31, the Heraklion Port Authority received reports regarding a malfunction involving the ramp of the 'Blue Star Chios' ferry during its entry into the port. The vessel was on a scheduled route from Thira, carrying 276 passengers along with 35 private vehicles, five trucks, and nine motorcycles. Following the incident, the Central Port Authority of Heraklion halted the ferry's departure. However, after the ferry's operators presented a repair certificate confirming the vessel's seaworthiness from the overseeing classification society, it was permitted to continue its journey towards Sitia, Kassos, Pigadia on Karpathos, and Rhodes, accommodating a total of 364 passengers, 60 private vehicles, 10 trucks, and 12 motorcycles on board.