Two Vietnamese Nationals Die at Sea Amid Strong Winds in Greece

Two Vietnamese tourists died at sea on Friday, August 8, in Greece, the coastguard said, as gale-force winds forced numerous ferries to port, causing travel disruptions for tens of thousands of summer travelers and igniting fires

As firefighters fought fires near Athens and the island of Cephalonia, a coastguard spokeswoman reported that a man and woman had died at the Sarakiniko beach on the Cyclades' tourist island of Milos.

"The man and woman were found unconscious in the sea and were taken to the local health centre," the spokeswoman told AFP.

She added, "They were Vietnamese tourists on a cruise ship group. The woman fell in the water and the man apparently tried to save her."

Wind gusts could reach 88 km/h, according to the ministry of civil protection, particularly in the Sea of Crete and the southern Aegean.

Costas Tsigkas, the head of the association of Greek firefighter officers, told ERT state television that more than 200 firefighters were fighting a fire in Keratea, east of Athens, with the assistance of three planes and five helicopters.

"It's a difficult fire... (owing) to wind gusts," he told AFP, adding that a number of local communities had been evacuated.

According to local officials, the Cephalonia fire was previously contained.

After midnight, the phenomenon will become less pronounced, according to the National Weather Service's EMY.

According to the coast guard, the majority of ferries, particularly those bound for the Cyclades or Dodecanese islands, were unable to leave Piraeus and other Athens ports on time.

A number of scheduled ferries were postponed or cancelled.

According to the statement, there will be no impact on maritime ties to the Ionian Sea and the Saronic islands of Aegina, Hydra, Poros, and Spetses, which are close to Athens.

In a statement, the Athens National Observatory also cautioned that there was a "very high potential for wind-driven forest fires," especially in the country's east and south.

A tree fell in one of the busiest high streets in the capital, barely missing shoppers, prompting the mayor of Athens to close the National Garden on Thursday, August 7.

At this time of year, Greece frequently experiences strong winds.