Greece aflame, gale‑force winds claim two tourists as fires blaze.

Greek Summer Travel Hit by Gale‑Force Winds

Heavily battered ferries were unable to leave Athens ports, forcing thousands of vacationers into long queues and stirring a series of wildfires across the Cyclades and near the capital.

Fatalities at Milos

• Vietnamese tourists – A man and woman went missing at Sarakiniko beach on the island of Milos. The coastguard found them unconscious in the sea, transported to the local health centre.
• Victim remarks – The woman slipped into the water; the man reportedly tried to rescue her.

Winds Threatening the Southern Aegean

Wind gusts were expected to reach 88 km/h (54 mph) in the southern Aegean and the Sea of Crete.

Keratea Blaze

• More than 200 firefighters, 11 water bombers and seven helicopters grappled with a seven‑kilometre fire front south of Athens.
• Evacuations – Several communities had been evacuated, and homes were under threat.
• Air‑borne effort complicated by wind – Firefighters faced a “difficult fire” compounded by gusts.

Cephalonia’s fire was earlier brought under control. The national weather service EMY projected wind weakening after midnight.

Ferry Schedules on Hold

• Most ferries from Piraeus and other Athens ports were delayed or cancelled, especially routes to the Cyclades or Dodecanese islands.
• Hundreds crowds outside a ferry bound for Paros and Naxos; travellers queue outside a ticket office, desperate for rearrangement.
• “Huge lines, commotion, waiting in the sun – a very tough time” – American tourist Philip Elias.
• Spanish civil servant Sergi Gros scrambled for last‑minute accommodation after his Astypalea booking was cancelled at 6:45 am, citing a total lack of information.

Connections Unaffected

Marine links with the Saronic islands (Aegina, Hydra, Poros, Spetses) and the Ionian Sea remained unaffected, the coastguard said.

Strong winds are common in Greece at this time of year; firefighters have already faced several major blazes this summer, including on Evia and Chios and in the western Peloponnese.