Greek authorities arrested 13 crew members and passengers on a yacht yesterday after fireworks launched from the vessel, caused a forest fire on the island of Hydra, reported Reuters, quoted by BTA.
Firefighters brought the fire under control early yesterday morning. The flames burned part of the island's only pine forest in the remote area of Bisti.
The detainees will appear before a prosecutor today, according to a press release from the fire department. The name of the yacht and individuals have not been identified.
„The arrests come after allegations that the wildfire was sparked by fireworks fired from the yacht on Friday night," said an employee. The arrests were made at the marina in the Athens area.
The island of Hydra is located southwest of Athens in the Saronic Gulf and is popular with foreign tourists and yachtsmen.
„We are outraged”, the mayor of Hydra, Georgios Koukoudakis, responded to state television. "If it's true, it really makes me sad."
Firefighters battled to contain dozens of wildfires fanned by gale-force winds on the islands and in southern parts of the mainland yesterday.