Over a dozen people vacationing on a superyacht have been arrested for allegedly igniting a destructive forest fire on the island of Hydra in Greece. The blaze started by fireworks set off from the yacht to entertain guests erupted last Friday night and continued into the following day, per officials. As many as 13 people aboard the 176-foot luxury yacht, Persefoni I, appeared in a criminal court in Piraeus on Sunday to face charges related to the fire in Hydra's only pine forest.
š„ A group of Kazakh tourists almost burned down the Greek island of Hydra with a pyrotechnic show. Sparks from fireworks launched from their yacht ignited the island's only pine forest. The flames spread rapidly.
Initially, the tourists attempted to extinguish the fire...
ā Russian Market (@runews) The yacht reportedly operates on a weekly summer rate of approximately $320,000. Meanwhile, the nationalities of the arrested crew members remain unclear. The incident is said to have occurred just a week after billionaire Jeff Bezos, his fianceĢe Lauren Sanchez, and his son Preston celebrated Fatherās Day on the island.
ALSO SEE: Greece's minister of climate crisis and civil protection, Vasilis Kikilias, has called for the seizure of the vessel, according to The Guardian. The legal repercussions for arson in Greece are stringent, with potential prison terms reaching 20 years and fines exceeding $200,000. Hydra's mayor, Giorgos Koukoudakis, condemned the incident, emphasising the irresponsibility .
