Disbelief in Greece as terrified tourists are told to disembark from ferry into the SEA

Athens: An idyllic ferry ride towards a Greek beauty spot descended into chaotic scenes when holidaymakers were told to disembark the vessel and enter the sea with their luggage.

Bizarre footage shows throngs of tourists wading through the dazzling blue neck-deep water while holding their bags over their shoulders to make their way to a beach in Crete.

Local reports said they were forced to enter the water after officials banned the use of a floating platform due to fears of overtourism – but following authorities’ viewing of the footage, they have agreed to install a platform next week.

The platform would have helped the passengers disembark more simply – but instead, tourists of all ages found themselves having to swim to get off the ferry and back onto land.

With the help of a rope and ferry crew, the passengers were forced out of the hatch and into the crystal waters to reach the beach – but the reason behind the passengers having to disembark the ferry remains unknown.

According to local reports, the small children and the elderly were forced to stay on the ships as they were deemed unable to reach the shore.

In shock footage of the incident, some passengers in the water can be heard nervously laughing, and according to witnesses many were too frightened to even attempt the jump.

A report by zarpanews stated one American tourist said it was an ‘unacceptable situation’ for the passengers on board the ferry – which can carry up to 900 people.

‘People have to walk through neck-deep water to reach the edge of the sea. Elderly people are unable to walk,’ they said.

The tourist added: ‘Most people stayed on the ship out of fear.

‘Only about 40 people got off and everyone came back angry and disappointed.’

According to Greek news outlet in.gr, the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy imposed the ban of the floating device to protect the beach from overtourism.

They have now however reversed this decision since seeing the shocking footage, with a floating platform due to reopen again shortly, according to the report.

A floating platform is a large structure structure that is designed to float on water, rather than being anchored to the ground.

The lagoon is renowned in Crete for its pristine white sand and exotic turquoise waters and boasts rare animals and plants that have protected status, including Eleanora falcons, monk seals and loggerhead sea turtles.

Just two weeks ago, one tourist took to TripAdvisor to share a similar experience that had happened to him.

‘I recently went on a day excursion from Rethymno to Balos, and unfortunately, it was a major disappointment,’ he wrote.

‘Unlike my previous experience in 2021, this time I was not informed that the boat no longer docks at Balos. Instead, it stops 10 meters away from the shore, forcing passengers to disembark into deep water’.

‘Disembarking was chaotic and frustrating, taking over 1 hour and 45 minutes to get everyone off the boat.

‘Many people struggled because they couldn’t swim, adding to the chaos. It’s baffling that the government prohibits boats from docking in Balos Bay but allows them to stop 10 meters away. This rule seems nonsensical and severely impacts the experience’.

According to research site Statista, there were more than 800,000 visitors to Crete from the UK in 2023, the second highest after Germany, which sent 1.2million tourists to the Greek island.

It comes after Greece also targeted tourists in fears of overtourism after graffiti was seen spread across the country saying: ‘No tourists, no hipsters’.

In May, furious protesters took to the streets of the Greek capital to voice their outrage at the rising numbers of tourists flooding their home.

The lagoon at Balos is renowned in Crete for its pristine white sand and exotic turquoise waters and boasts rare animals and plants that have protected status

Greece issued a plea for ‘no more tourism’ because the stunning city – and home to iconic landmarks such as the Acropolis – is becoming increasingly swamped with British holidaymakers.

The anti-tourist sentiment has manifested in several forms including graffiti targeting foreigners, public demonstrations, and even instances of vandalism and arson, since last year.

Huge signs sprayed onto the sides of buildings and other walls across the sun-soaked city present a chilling warning to visitors, with one reading: ‘Tourists Go Home! Greek State Kills’.

The strong anti-tourism drive and surge in demanding graffiti messages comes after a series of similar crackdowns that have erupted around Europe – most notably Spain.

In Menorca, graffiti sprung up on walls telling tourists to ‘go home’, while in Marbella last year, tyres on cars with British number plates were slashed.

On April 20, thousands of protestors took to the streets of the Canary Islands to protest against the problems caused by mass tourism and demand their politicians take action.

The protestors chanted the slogan: ‘Canarias tiene un limite’, which in English translates as ‘The Canary Islands have a limit.’

Majorcan-based hotel chief Joan Pla warned recently the mass tourism protests in the Canary Islands could be repeated in the Balearics.

He claimed the number of homes built for local residents that were being purchased instead by foreigners as holiday properties was a problem.

And he complained islands like Majorca where he is based were having to cope with the influx of too many people at certain times of the year.

Ibiza also became the latest Spanish holidaymaker hotspot to join in with growing anti-tourism protests that have erupted around the country.

‘We welcome anybody who wants to enjoy our local culture, gastronomy, local traditions, beautiful beaches and covers,’ said Xaquelina Ana Perry, a spokeswoman for an activist group by the name of Prou Eivissa (Enough Ibiza).

‘We are only against the massification of the type of tourism attracted to our island. The island is saturated, especially with illegal renting and our 572 square kilometres cannot take anymore,’ she added.