Rethymno: Five Injured in Traffic Accident at Armenous

Five people were injured in a violent collision of two cars on the provincial road from Agia Galini toward Rethymno, at the height of Armenous, on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 11. According to the report, the collision occurred around 17:15, a time when traffic on this particular route is heavy due to returns from the southern beaches.

In one vehicle was a driver from Italy, while in the second was a family of visitors from France together with minor children. Both cars suffered serious material damage, with the force of the collision resulting in the entrapment of one occupant inside the vehicle. The location at Armenous is situated in a road section with curves and limited roadway width.

The Fire Service rushed to the scene and proceeded to extract the trapped person and pass him to rescue personnel. Extrication operations in traffic accidents require special cutting and lifting equipment and are performed carefully to avoid worsening any injuries of the trapped individuals.

Three ambulances of the EKAB were mobilized, which transferred the five injured to Rethymno Hospital. The injured sustained fractures, and their health status is not characterized as life-threatening. Among the injured are minor children, who were on the second vehicle and were prioritized by hospital doctors.

Authorities are investigating the collision conditions, examining the speed of the vehicles, their position on the road and any factors related to the road layout. The traffic police report is expected to be completed after statements are taken from those involved and possible witnesses. In accidents with foreign drivers, the procedure often requires an interpreter, a fact that extends the time for completing the case file.

The provincial road connecting Rethymno to Agia Galini is one of the busiest routes in the county during summer months, serving as the main way to the southern beaches. Its layout with curves and sections of limited visibility, combined with increased traffic of rental vehicles, makes it a high-risk area, especially in afternoon hours coinciding with mass returns of visitors to the city.

Road safety remains one of the most persistent problems of Crete during peak months, with a series of serious incidents recently, such as the serious traffic accident with extrication of three people in Georgioupoli and the traffic accident with a crank in Vagionia Mesara. Road safety on the county’s provincial roads remains an open issue. More about Rethymno on the page Rethymno.