A cargo ship ran aground on a reef off Sitia in eastern Crete on Thursday evening.

A cargo ship ran aground near Sitia, in the Lasithi region. The vessel, flying the Sierra Leone flag, got into trouble under murky circumstances and ended up stuck on the coast.
The 14-member crew bailed out after water started flooding in, which set off a quick scramble by local maritime authorities.
Investigators are now digging into what went wrong and why. Two people have been arrested as part of the ongoing inquiry.
Officials are still piecing together details, hoping to get a clearer picture of what led to the grounding.
Key Takeaways
- A cargo ship ran aground near Sitia, Lasithi, under uncertain conditions.
- The crew evacuated the ship due to water ingress.
- Two individuals have been arrested during the ongoing investigation.
Cargo Ship Grounding near Sitia: Two Arrested as Incident Under Investigation
Authorities arrested two people after the cargo ship grounded near Sitia. The ship, under the Sierra Leone flag, hit a reef—no one’s really sure yet how it happened.
The 14 crew members made it off the ship safely. Officials are taking a close look at what led up to the whole mess, trying to figure out if anyone’s at fault.
Key facts:
- Location: Off the coast of Sitia
- Vessel type: Cargo ship
- Crew members involved: 14, all accounted for
- Legal action: Two arrests made
The investigation is still rolling, with a spotlight on what caused the grounding and whether there were any safety lapses.
For more, check the news report.
Crew Safe and Secured at Sitia Harbour
The cargo ship with 14 crew ran aground near eastern Crete, close to Cape Sideros, about three nautical miles out. Coastal authorities jumped into action and evacuated everyone safely.
The crew made it to Sitia port on a coastguard vessel, no injuries reported. Early updates say all crew members are safe and in good health.
Salvage Operation Underway – No Pollution Detected
Several tugboats—“Kapten Dimitris IV”, “Mentoras”, and “Achilleas”—showed up fast to help refloat the ship. More technical teams were expected to join in.
A diving team checked the hull underwater for damage. So far, authorities haven’t found any oil leaks or environmental harm, but they’re keeping a close watch on the area just in case.
Arrests Made in Connection with the Incident
After a thorough investigation, the port authorities of Sitia arrested the ship’s captain and the officer on watch.
They now face charges for causing a shipwreck under article 277 of the penal code. Authorities also accuse them of violating maritime collision avoidance regulations under public naval law.



