What went wrong with the ΄Agia Theodora΄ that it got stuck in the shallows?

Well-informed sources attribute the grounding of the ferry in the shallows near the Kalamas estuary to human error—an incorrect route. The spot is described as a sandbar, extending up to half a mile from shore, where the depth starts at 1.5 metres and decreases. If you pass through there, you’ll almost certainly run aground.

In fact, the same accident has occurred at least twice before, involving two other ferry boats—the Igoumenitsa and Vivi—which have landing-craft-style hulls. The waters there are that shallow.

Typically, the route from Corfu to Igoumenitsa, a routine journey, is navigated on autopilot. At least from Kaposidero to the area near Prasoudi, where the bridge crew takes manual control specifically to avoid the shallows near the Kalamas estuary as well as the smaller fishing and tourist boats that usually gather near the coast.

According to testimonies, the officer on duty was at the helm, new to both the route and the company. The statements provided will shed light on the conditions.

The route of the Agia Theodora was close to the shore, leading it directly into the sandbar. The seabed's formation there is such that the bow may have gotten stuck, while the propeller remained free, pushing the vessel even deeper into the mud. That’s what happened to the Agia Theodora on Monday. This is why, when the tugging efforts were intensified, the loudspeakers instructed passengers to move to the centre and stern of the vessel.

This description comes from someone very familiar with the route and the local conditions. As for the ferry’s load, initially, it doesn’t appear that any protocol was violated during loading, so the grounding wasn’t due to a change in draft but rather to the course taken.

GIORGOS KATSAITIS