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In her announcement, the Regional Governor of the Ionian Islands, Rodi Kratsa Tsagaropoulou, referring to the Shipwreck after the landslide that took place recently and emphasized that finally the advertised attraction is being treated seriously while the chronic problems are being revealed. In fact, she also referred to the intervention that took place in order for a team of the OASP (EARTHQUAKE PLANNING & PROTECTION ORGANIZATION) to come to examine the area.
The relevant announcement of:
“The Shipwreck many years ago attracted fans from all over the world, abandoned to its fate with huge risks for the natural monument itself and its visitors.
In 2019, the professor of Dynamic Tectonics, Applied Geology & Natural Disaster Management of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mr. Efthimios Lekka, President of the Earthquake Protection Organization (OASP) established with a special study the great danger of the Shipwreck as a whole.
Alongwith the Government gazette (ΦΕΚ), the needs were determined by zoneσ and the ways of managing them, monitoring visitors, mooring boats, etc. They were never implemented because no one had the authority or jurisdiction, no one realized the importance of all these parameters.
At last the Government got serious about its protection and the Commission for Model Touristic Utilization and Protection of the Zakynthos Shipwreck which was instituted deals one by one with the critical issues for safe access, the rescue of the emblematic shipwreck, the protection of the natural monument.
After the recent seismic tremor in the wider area, the scientific team of Professor Efthymios Lekkas is already preparing research to determine the potential risk burden after the latest seismic events.
All this publicizing of negative images and possible risks which, quite ironically, is being done this year with the aim of some astute people presenting the Commission as inadequate, does nothing but strengthen its mission and work. The Commission has been asked to deal with these tragic pathologies in the survival of the Shipwreck (ship and natural environment) and to create conditions of viability.
I wish all these problems had been solved ahead of time and today the challenges were of a different level, that is, its exploitation and international promotion.
We are moving forward with a plan, perseverance and the fastest possible pace for a new era in Navagio.
The Commission is doing its duty on behalf of all the people of Zakynthos who have been hurt and offended by the indifference and the “games” of the past at the expense of the Shipwreck”.
Meanwhile on Monday 12/9, the local authorities are expected to have the findings of the OASP scientists in their hands. After visiting the area of the Shipwreck last Friday and collecting data, after the landslide that occurred (following the 5.4-magnitude earthquake of the Richter scale),their results will be heard.
We remind you that after the landslide, the Port Authority of Zakynthos prohibited the disembarkation of visitors to the beach as a precaution, while later a meeting was held of the Committee for Tourist Utilization and Protection of the Shipwreck, as well as the Convocation of the Civil Protection Coordinating Body (ΣΟΠΠ). The Commission decided to recommend again strict control of visitor access only in the permitted zones, while respecting the maximum number of visitors, so that bathers do not approach the slopes.
Vice-Regional Governor Katerina Mothoneou
“We will have a complete picture of whether there is a change in erosion and we will see how to proceed. They will give us a recommendation based on what they found. We want to know if anything has changed in relation to 2019 and 2020, when they had also performed an autopsy then. In less than 24 hours, Mr. Lekka’s committee came and viewed the scene. On Friday morning they went and made drone flights to capture what the situation is like. We are seriously dealing with the matter of the “Shipwreck” area. Safety comes first! The measures proposed by Mr. Lekkas must be observed. Unfortunately, very few are observed. The authorities must comply with the measures. The Port Authority should be reinforced with force and have a boat permanently there to monitor the site and the disembarkation of tourists. Buoyancy beacons have to be placed, we have to make sure that people don’t get close to the rocks and thirdly guarding the area has to be done properly. We are waiting for the experts to tell us if there is an increased risk and if it can be open or not.”
Shipwreck committee member states:-
Andreas Marinakis, a member of the Shipwreck Committee, who also participated in the emergency Civil Protection Coordinating Body that took place after the landslide, said: “We are awaiting the results of the inspection that was done in the area in order to open visitation of the shipwreck . Mr. Lekka’s team will tell us if there has been a modification compared to the previous recording he had made. If there is no modification, the shipwreck area will easily open. If there has been a change, they will tell us what processes will take place.”
Zakynthos Informer has contacted one of our sources, the area still remains closed for visitation, updates however, will continue.
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Sources in Greek:
