An internal audit is being carried out by the shipping company ZANTEFERRIES – ANMEZ to establish whether the prescribed procedures had been followed by the company’s ship.

The incident happened during the disembarkation of the students with the escalators of the passenger ferry, during a day school trip from Santorini to Ios, in Greece. The ship operated a scheduled route from Santorini to Ios on May 14.

One of its passenger ships owned by the company sailed to the port of Ios coming from the port of Thira. A total of 403 passengers disembarked, of which 333 were students, including the attendants.

Zante ferries expressed its regret after being informed from a Greek media channel that a student, from the school excursion group, had suffered a minor injury during her disembarkation in the stairwell of the ship.

As it is reported by the Hellenic coast guard, the 14-year-old was taken to the Ios Health Center for first aid, from where she was discharged the same day.

“Perhaps the great overcrowding in the ship’s stairwell, of almost all the students, combined with the special mobility that characterizes young people of this age, resulted in the impossibility of surveillance both on the part of their attendants and on the part of the crew members who they tried in vain to enforce their orderly disembarkation,” said the company in its press release.

Regarding the state of health of the student who was transferred to the island’s Health Center, the company points out that there have been assurances from the doctor that there is no cause for concern and she can continue her trip normally. It also states that the ship’s escalators were last inspected on Friday, May 10, 2024.

The students, after the end of their excursion to Ios, boarded another ship bound for Santorini, something which is also confirmed by the Hellenic Coast Guard.

Shipping Telegraph could not immediately verify the report of the shipping company about the specific cause of the incident. A preliminary investigation is being carried out by the Port Authority of Ios.

Source: Zante ferries.