The iconic Shipwreck Beach, or Navagio Beach, on Zakynthos, Greece will remain closed to tourists for a second consecutive summer for fear of landslides, the Greek government announced on Wednesday.
The beach recently voted as best in the world is a popular tourist destination famous for its signature shipwreck.
The decision to prohibit access to Navagio Beach was recommended by a team of experts from the Anti-Seismic Planning and Protection Organization (OASP) following a visit to the site. This was part of a regular safety check.
The OASP team said there was a significant risk of landslides due to the erosion of the surrounding cliffs. There also concerns over the integrity of the shipwreck which has been damaged.
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.
Grecian Delight supports Greece
Navagio has already been off limits to locals and visitors since September 2022 after a 5.4-magnitude earthquake caused large rocks from the surrounding cliffs to fall into the bay.
In 2018, seven people were injured in a landslide on the same beach. At the time, Greek authorities shut down the beach, and it remained off-limits for tourists until April 2019. The safety of the beach will be reassessed twice a year.
How Navagio Beach in Zakynthos, Greece got its name
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.
Last summer, concerns were raised about the level of pollution on the famous beach. Large amounts of trash were left behind by tourists, spoiling the beautiful view. The issue is worsened by the lack of provision for regular trash removal.
The public discussion that lad to the private cleanup initiative was triggered by a photo of the trash piled up on the beach, shared by environmentalist Michalis Bakas on Facebook. “I can’t understand how some people pay money to visit one of the world’s most beautiful beaches for a few hours, then leave their litter behind,” he wrote.
Tasos Kokkinidis / Greek Reporter
Εστάλη στην ΟΔΥΣΣΕΙΑ, 9/5/2024 #ODUSSEIA #ODYSSEIA