Sir Stelios Hadjiioannou, creator and owner of the easy family of brands (see www.easy.com and www.easyHistory.info), as well as founder and President of the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation (see Stelios Philanthropic Foundation). www.stelios.org and www.steliosfoundation.com.cy), expresses its most sincere condolences to the families and relatives of the 8 people who have been confirmed to have lost their lives during the sinking of the ferry, which occurred on August 30, 2026, a few miles off the northern coast of Cyprus. In addition, Sir Stelios sends his thoughts and prayers to the families and loved ones of the 18 people who are still missing as a result of the shipwreck.
As a small but substantial and practical gesture of support and solidarity
to the families affected, the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation announces immediate financial support totalling €260,000 to the next of kin of the victims of the 26 families, who have lost their lives or will be confirmed to have died from the sinking of the ferry.
Specifically, the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation will pay, via bank transfer, a monetary donation of €10,000 to the next of kin of each person who has been certified to have lost his life due to the sinking of the ferry, within one month of the incident.
The total financial support amounts to €260,000 and aims to provide immediate financial relief, as a small practical help and support to the families facing the tragic consequences of the shipwreck.
Procedure for receiving the donation
In order to receive the financial assistance, the next of kin of the deceased and/or missing persons will have to follow the application process, as it will be published online on www.steliosfoundation.com.cy website.
The financial assistance will be paid by bank transfer to the account of the closest living relative of each victim, up to and including a second-degree relative.
A basic condition is that the next of kin submits a written application to the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, proving their kinship with the victims. For clarity, the Stelios Foundation has established the following order of priority for the closest living relative or next of kin: husband, father, mother, oldest adult child, older brother or sister.
Applicants should submit through the online form the necessary supporting documents confirming their relationship with the victim or missing person, their contact details, as well as the details of the bank account to which the financial assistance will be paid, including the IBAN.
About Stelios Philanthropic Foundation
The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to supporting charitable activities in the 6 countries where Sir Stelios and his family have lived and worked: Cyprus, Greece, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Monaco and France.
Important actions of the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation in Cyprus are the Bi-communal Business Cooperation Awards and the Youth Entrepreneurship Awards, which offer financial grants to the winners. In addition, the Food from the Heart initiative provides food to thousands of people facing financial difficulties. The Foundation also provides financial assistance to vulnerable groups, those affected by major disasters, charitable organizations, and students through scholarships for university studies. It is worth noting that the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation has offered similar financial assistance on 3 occasions in the past, which has had a very high response and has been highly appreciated: in Cyprus, to the closest relatives of the victims of the serial killer Metaxas in 2019 and in Greece, to the families of those who lost their lives in the fires in Mati, outside Athens, in 2018 and in the train collision in Tempi in 2024.
