Pafos Press 17 January 2024
The shipwrecks are among the most popular attractions attracting hundreds of locals and tourists all year round. A classic example on our island is the shipwreck in Pegia which attracts thousands of visitors every year.
On the occasion of the tragic end of the "Panagiotis" shipwreck, on the "Navagio" beach in Zakynthos, which due to the bad weather that hit the island in the last few days, was largely covered by sand, we wanted to see what operations the competent services of Cyprus are doing .
The ship in Zakynthos due to the bad weather was covered to a large extent. The ship in question had been left at the mercy of the prevailing bad weather conditions for decades.
Up to now the efforts to rescue and maintain the ship have brought absolutely no results, mainly due to the misunderstanding of the many agencies that either have, or claim a role in the Shipwreck. Something similar seems to be happening in the case of the two shipwrecks that exist in Cyprus, specifically in the province of Paphos. The reason for the wreck EDRO III, in the Municipality of Peyia and the wreck DIMITRIOS II in the community of Chlorakas.
SigmaLive tried to contact the Mayor of Peyia, the community leader Chlorakas (who did not respond) as well as competent people in the Department of Fisheries and the Deputy Ministry of Shipping in order to be informed about the ways of maintaining the wrecks.
To date, SigmaLive has been unable to locate the person responsible for these matters, as the Department of Fisheries referred us to the Deputy Ministry of Shipping who in turn referred us back to the Department of Fisheries.
The History of the EDRO III shipwreck
The sea caves, a place with a unique view, also hosts the EDRO III Wreck, which is now a world-wide attraction. The ship with the name EDRO III and the flag of SIERRA LEONE, on 8.12.2011 at 06:10 signlalled that it had a mechanical breakdown. Due to the rough seas that had broken out that day, the boat hit the rocky area of the sea caves where it remained until today.
During this time some attempts were made to move and tow it by an insurance company, however this was not possible for various reasons. The captain of the boat did not abandon it until the fate of the ship was clarified.
The specific area of the wreck is protected and included in the Natura 2000 program. The European Ecological Network Natura 2000 is a wide European network of protected natural areas for species of flora, fauna, birds and habitats.
The ship DIMITRIOS II
It was the evening of March 23, 1998 when, during a rough sea, the Coast Police and the Ports Authority were alerted, following information that a commercial ship had been swept away by the waves and sea currents off Paphos and hit rocks. in the Dimma sea area in Chloraka.
Both the Police and the Coast Guard were immediately mobilized while the British Bases Command were alerted to assist in the rescue operation of the sailors after the information spoke of a 9-member crew in danger on the ship. Operationally, the reaction was immediate and with the use of the rescue helicopter of the British Bases, the nine-member crew, five Greeks, two Syrians and two Pakistanis, were successfully rescued.
