DIVERS SEEN AT WRECKAGE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SECURED - KNews 31/8
Police were reportedly alerted after boats were seen near the sunken vessels, including the yacht involved in the death of Dimis Mavropoulos.
Questions are being raised over whether the wreckage from Saturday’s deadly boating tragedy at Cape Greco was properly secured after boats and divers were reportedly seen in the area.
According to information received by KNEWS, vessels approached the wreckage near Konnos Bay and divers entered the water. There are suspicions they may have been trying to recover expensive equipment or other valuable items from the sunken boats.
Until that investigation is complete, it is more than abandoned property lying on the seabed. It is a potential source of evidence that should be preserved and accounted for.
However, the identities of the divers and the purpose of their visit have not been established. There is currently no evidence confirming that anything was removed from the wrecks.
Police were reportedly informed of the activity, but no official statement had been issued at the time of publication.
The reports are particularly serious because one of the wrecks belonged to 76-year-old Limassol businessman and former rally driver Dimis Mavropoulos, who lost his life during the incident.
The vessel and the surrounding debris could contain important evidence about how the tragedy unfolded. Until investigators have completed their work, the site would normally be expected to remain protected against unauthorised access or interference.
It is not yet clear whether police had formally designated the area as a crime scene, whether a guard or patrol had been assigned or whether anyone had received permission to dive there.
There may, of course, be a legitimate explanation. Divers could have been assessing the wreckage, checking for environmental hazards or acting on behalf of a vessel’s owner or insurer. But without confirmation from police, their presence has inevitably raised concerns.
Any unauthorised attempt to remove engines, navigation equipment, electronics or personal belongings could also disturb evidence before investigators establish exactly what happened.
The central question now is straightforward: Who was responsible for securing the wreckage, and were the divers authorised to be there?
What happened on Saturday
Three boats were caught in violent seas off Cape Greco on Saturday as extreme weather swept across the area. At least two were confirmed to have sunk, while some reports have placed the number at three.
One vessel was reportedly registered as a coastal tourist boat, while the others were recreational craft. Police helicopters and rescue crews were deployed as passengers entered the water and boats were driven towards the rocks.
Five people were rescued during the emergency.
Among the boats destroyed was the vessel belonging to Mavropoulos, a well-known figure in Limassol and the founder of the Cyprus Motor Museum.
He was aboard with his partner and daughter when the weather suddenly deteriorated. The two women entered the sea and were rescued, while Mavropoulos was later recovered unconscious. He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
His wrecked vessel is now part of an investigation into a fatal incident, and until that investigation is complete, it is more than abandoned property lying on the seabed. It is a potential source of evidence that should be preserved and accounted for.
According to information received by KNEWS, vessels approached the wreckage near Konnos Bay and divers entered the water. There are suspicions they may have been trying to recover expensive equipment or other valuable items from the sunken boats.
Until that investigation is complete, it is more than abandoned property lying on the seabed. It is a potential source of evidence that should be preserved and accounted for.
However, the identities of the divers and the purpose of their visit have not been established. There is currently no evidence confirming that anything was removed from the wrecks.
Police were reportedly informed of the activity, but no official statement had been issued at the time of publication.
The reports are particularly serious because one of the wrecks belonged to 76-year-old Limassol businessman and former rally driver Dimis Mavropoulos, who lost his life during the incident.
The vessel and the surrounding debris could contain important evidence about how the tragedy unfolded. Until investigators have completed their work, the site would normally be expected to remain protected against unauthorised access or interference.
It is not yet clear whether police had formally designated the area as a crime scene, whether a guard or patrol had been assigned or whether anyone had received permission to dive there.
There may, of course, be a legitimate explanation. Divers could have been assessing the wreckage, checking for environmental hazards or acting on behalf of a vessel’s owner or insurer. But without confirmation from police, their presence has inevitably raised concerns.
Any unauthorised attempt to remove engines, navigation equipment, electronics or personal belongings could also disturb evidence before investigators establish exactly what happened.
The central question now is straightforward: Who was responsible for securing the wreckage, and were the divers authorised to be there?
What happened on Saturday
Three boats were caught in violent seas off Cape Greco on Saturday as extreme weather swept across the area. At least two were confirmed to have sunk, while some reports have placed the number at three.
One vessel was reportedly registered as a coastal tourist boat, while the others were recreational craft. Police helicopters and rescue crews were deployed as passengers entered the water and boats were driven towards the rocks.
Five people were rescued during the emergency.
Among the boats destroyed was the vessel belonging to Mavropoulos, a well-known figure in Limassol and the founder of the Cyprus Motor Museum.
He was aboard with his partner and daughter when the weather suddenly deteriorated. The two women entered the sea and were rescued, while Mavropoulos was later recovered unconscious. He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
His wrecked vessel is now part of an investigation into a fatal incident, and until that investigation is complete, it is more than abandoned property lying on the seabed. It is a potential source of evidence that should be preserved and accounted for.
