Boat partially sinks in Rethymno's Venetian Harbour

A fishing boat was partially submerged on the morning of Friday 11 September 2026, while moored at the Venetian Harbour of Rethymno, according to an announcement from the Rethymno Port Authority reported by cretaone.gr. As reported by cretaone.gr, staff from the local Hellenic Coast Guard went immediately to the scene and confirmed the partial sinking of the vessel. “Immediately, personnel from the relevant Port Authority went to the scene, where the partial sinking of the fishing vessel was confirmed,” the Rethymno Port Authority announcement stated. The incident became public on Saturday 12 September 2026 at 13:03, when cretaone.gr published its report. The vessel was eventually raised with the help of a second fishing boat and a professional diver, with no injuries or marine pollution recorded, according to the same report.

The Rethymno Port Authority is the competent authority for maritime safety, protection of the marine environment and supervision of vessels within its jurisdiction, in accordance with the legal role of port authorities in such incidents. In every case of partial sinking of a vessel in a port, immediate inspection and activation of procedures to address potential pollution are considered critical, as fuel and lubricants in ship engine rooms can leak into the sea upon contact with water. At the same time, a vessel that partially sinks within a harbour can hinder access to adjacent mooring positions and create an obstacle for other vessels entering or leaving port. For this reason, the immediate mobilisation of a second fishing vessel and professional diver, as reported by cretaone.gr, is part of the standard procedure for damage control and restoration of normal port operations as quickly as possible.

The Venetian Harbour of Rethymno is not only one of the most recognisable tourist destinations in the city, but also remains an active fishing area, with fishing vessels moored daily alongside pleasure boats and numerous visitors walking along the waterfront. An incident of partial sinking at this location therefore acquires particular interest, both for professional fishermen and the local community, as the harbour functions as a focal point for the economic and tourist life of the region. The fact that, according to cretaone.gr’s report, no pollution was recorded is the key conclusion of the incident, as it averts the risk of degradation of the harbour’s waters, in an area closely connected to the image of wider Crete as a tourist destination.

After the raising of the vessel, the Rethymno Port Authority has not announced, according to what cretaone.gr reported, further details about next steps or about the causes that led to the partial sinking. The matter remains under the jurisdiction of the local Hellenic Coast Guard, which is expected to complete the necessary procedures for recording the incident. There was no report of injuries during the raising operation, while the absence of pollution was confirmed by the same source. Until Saturday 12 September 2026, when the news was publicised, there had been no further announcement from any other authority or body concerning the incident at the Venetian Harbour.