Experts in Greece are sounding the alarm for the shipwreck of Zakynthos at the iconic Navagio beach, stressing the need to carry out immediate maintenance work both on the ship and on the beach.
The beach recently voted as best in the world is a popular tourist destination famous for its signature shipwreck. It remains closed to tourists for a second consecutive summer for fear of landslides.
The wreck of the ship Panagiotis has been on the beach since October 1980, when the ship ran aground. Presently, the ship is half-buried in the sand with its hull severely damaged and several other pieces washed up by the sea.
The shipwreck that has been standing there for 44 years urgently needs repairs. “In the last 15-20 years absolutely nothing has been done,” Deputy Governor of Ionian Islands Konstantinos Kapodistrias told MEGA TV recently.
At least 1.5 million tourists come in the summer to see the shipwreck but neither the central state nor the local government authorities assume responsibility for its maintenance.
Kapodistrias said that there are three problems with the beach, namely the shipwreck itself, the instability of the towering cliff above it, and the lack of vantage points at the top.
“The boat, which is beginning to be damaged by weather and climate change, should be fixed. The other problem is the sand which is starting to dwindle due to the big swell, and thirdly there needs to be vantage points on the top of the cliff,” he noted.
Scientists for the National Technical University of Athens visited the site in February this year and estimated that the cost of the maintenance work that would protect the Navagio beach in the next 20 years is a maximum of 4 million euros ($4.3 million).
Professor Efthymios Lekkas, expressed concerns about the salvaging of the beach itself.
“The ship created a jetty that prevented the sand from going to the bottom. Thus, within four to five years the beach grew, and what has been preserved until today was created. If the ship now disappears, the area will acquire the conditions that existed before and there will be no beach,” he stated in a recent interview.
The amount needed is small, but local authorities and the central government have been at odds about who would pay. “For us and all of Greece, it has a cultural value. It is good to maintain the history of this ship that had participated in the Normandy landings,” the Deputy Governor argued.
He stressed that if the funding is secured the world will not last for more than three months and the iconic beach will be returned to the locals and tourists.
According to the MEGA TV report, a spokesperson of the Ministry of Finance although agreed with the historical importance of maintaining Navagio Beach, said that the local authority must pay.
“The shipwreck at Navagio Beach is the second most popular landmark of Greece after the Acropolis. Everyone must work together on the island. If something is not done in 5-6 years this landmark may not exist and tourist flows will decrease.
“The local government must take some initiatives, we can’t wait for the state to solve the problems. The Zakynthos municipality could, for example, introduce a fee that could finance this project,” the spokesperson said.
The remote beach got its new name in October 1980, when a huge storm forced the ship Panagiotis to run aground there. Prior to that time, the beach had been known as Agios Georgios.
It was rumored that the ship was smuggling contraband cigarettes and alcohol when it ran aground. The ship was abandoned, and the captain and some crew members were arrested. They were later cleared of all smuggling charges by the court.
At the time, locals feared the shipwreck would ruin the reputation of the beach and the island itself. Little did they know. The shipwreck has since been visited by millions and photographed by just as many.
