Greece: Cargo ship half-sunken in Crete, Decision made to remove it

^{Photo credit: Hellenic Coast Guard}

A Sierra Leone-flagged general cargo ship, MN Kostas, is half-sunken in the Kyriamadi sea area in Sitia, Crete, with only its bow still visible above water.

A serious maritime incident occurred on July 24, 2025, when the ship ran aground at the location, approximately three nautical miles west of Sideros.

According to the Hellenic Coast Guard, the Port Authority of Sitia was informed that the general cargo ship has suffered a vertical sinking to the starboard, with the bow protruding from the water.

Following the grounding, a contractor carried out operations to pump out fuels and lubricants, unload the cargo (gypsum), and seal the ship’s ventilation and distribution points, using tugboats, salvage vessels, floating cranes, and another cargo ship.

During the operations, a floating barrier was placed around the vessel, and additional anti-pollution equipment was immediately put on standby both at the grounding site and in the port of Sitia. No marine pollution has been observed.