2 Vietnamese tourists die in Greece as wildfires disrupt ferry travel

On Friday, a major wildfire broke out in Keratea, a region southeast of Athens. More than 200 firefighters, supported by aircraft, battled the blaze, which was fueled by powerful wind gusts reaching up to 88 kilometers per hour. In Keratea, firefighters discovered the body of an elderly person inside a burned home. The civil protection ministry has placed several areas, including the Attica region where Athens is located, under the highest alert for wildfires on Saturday.

In a separate incident on the tourist island of Milos, a Vietnamese man and woman from a cruise group were found unconscious in the sea at Sarakiniko beach. The woman reportedly fell into the water, and the man attempted to save her. Both were later confirmed dead.

Travel Disruptions
The strong winds severely impacted ferry services, which are the main way to travel between Greece's islands. Many ferries from Athens' main ports were unable to depart on schedule, causing major delays and cancellations for tens of thousands of summer tourists. The article describes scenes of hundreds of travelers stranded at the port of Piraeus, with long queues and "huge commotion." While services to some nearby islands were unaffected, the disruptions affected popular destinations in the Cyclades and Dodecanese islands. The article notes that strong winds are common in Greece during this time of year, and firefighters have already dealt with several other major blazes this summer.