Attica Group CEO Spyros Paschalis submitted his resignation, the company operating Blue Horizon ferry announced on Thursday, a few hours after the death of 36-year-old Antonis who was pushed by crew members from the loading ramp fell into the sea and died.
Antonis Karyotis, aged 36, drowned on Tuesday night in his effort to board a ferry, the “Blue Horizon,” after he was pushed by crew into the sea. The ferry captain and three of his crew were arrested and charged with homicide.
“A young man was lost and this has scarred us all deeply,” the company reportedly said in a press release, adding that it is starting “an extensive and in-depth investigation” into the incident with the assistance of independent external consultants “to ensure that our Group’s procedures and banksnewscols are never again violated by anyone.”
“In this direction, the Board of Directors today accepted the resignation of the managing director of the Company,” it reportedly said.
Attica Group also said the results of the investigation will be used to “make the necessary changes on every level required.”
According to media, the company decided to withdraw the Blue Horizon from the Piraeus-Heraklio, Crete, after angry Cretans gathered outside the ferry on Wednesday night disturbing its loading and departure.
Victim Antonis, a man with autism, was a native of Agios Mikolaos, Crete, and popular in the local community. He was running errant for local businesses and friends.
There have been reports that there was a massive cancellation of tickets and reservations since the tragedy.
The incident captured on a video and shared on social media sparked anger across the country. It showed the passenger running onto the Blue Horizon ferry’s loading ramp, which was still down and in place on the quay, as the ship had cast off its moorings and was about to leave. He tried to run past two crew members on the ramp who stopped him and manhandled him onto the quay.
When the man once again stepped onto the ramp, one crew member stopped him and pushed him off as the ferry was departing, with the man vanishing into the growing gap between the vessel and the quay.
The crew then appeared to do nothing to help him, and the ferry continued sailing towards the island of Crete before being ordered back to Piraeus.