Image Credit: Εποχικοί Πυροσβέστες / Facebook

Thirteen crew members will appear in court on arson charges following a forest fire on the Greek island of Hydra, which authorities believe was ignited by fireworks launched from the 54m Mariotti Persefoni I.

The Greek crew members were arrested on Saturday at a marina near Athens after allegations that they caused the forest fire late on Friday night.

The crew and the captain will respond to the charges before an investigator on Wednesday.

The fire on Friday scorched 300 acres of Hydra’s only pine forest, a popular tourist destination south of Athens, according to Vassilis Kikilias, Greece's Climate Crisis Minister. The public prosecutor has asked for the vessel to be confiscated.

Containing the flames proved challenging. With no roads to the beach, firefighters had to reach the area by sea, while helicopters dropped water from above.

Citing court documents, several local media outlets, reported that the yacht hosted 17 Kazakhstani nationals who have since left Greece. However, SuperyachtNews has not been able to independently verify this information, and the guests have not been charged as of this writing.

There is a dispute between Greece’s coast guard and the fire department regarding the incident. While fire officials rely on a nearby vessel captain’s statement claiming he saw flares or fireworks being launched from Persefoni I, the Coast Guard asserts there is no evidence of this.

The suspected cause of the fire has sparked outrage in Greece, which is already contending with multiple wildfires during its first heatwave of the year.

Greece has been on high alert for wildfires since Tuesday, with authorities preparing for a tough summer due to dry conditions, strong winds, and high temperatures.

Summer wildfires are common in Greece, and scientists have linked the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, including heatwaves, to climate change.

Arson is also a significant issue in the country, with at least 79 people arrested last August over deadly wildfires. Penalties for arson and ecological destruction could result in up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to €200,000 for guilty parties.

SuperyachtNews has reached out to industry leaders for comment and will update the article as more information becomes available.

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