Serifos: boat runs aground at Livadakia

A tourist boat drifted on Wednesday, 9 September 2026, from the point where it was anchored in Livadakia bay on Serifos and ran aground on a sandy seabed, according to a report by Naxos Times. A total of six foreign passengers were aboard the boat, five Swedish nationals and one Italian, according to the same source, with no further details on their identities. A Hellenic Coast Guard patrol boat named «Aphrodite» assisted in rescuing those aboard and the boat itself, rushing to the site of the grounding and then safely leading the tourist boat to Livadi port. According to the Hellenic Coast Guard, the incident caused no injuries to those aboard, nor was any marine pollution recorded in the sea area around Livadakia.

The incident occurred on the same day that, according to an earlier TodayGrid report, strong meltemi winds of up to 7 Beaufort were blowing across the whole of the Cyclades, as covered in the report on the 7 Beaufort winds that continued on Wednesday. Naxos Times does not explicitly link the Livadakia incident to the prevailing weather conditions, and the Hellenic Coast Guard has also not disclosed the specific cause of the tourist boat’s drift from its anchorage, a detail that remains unclear. Grounding on a sandy seabed, as described in the report, is generally considered less damaging to a boat than grounding on a rocky bottom, although the extent of any damage has not been disclosed.

The Livadakia incident highlights the role of the Hellenic Coast Guard in managing safety incidents on the islands of the Cyclades, especially in smaller destinations such as Serifos, where the immediate intervention of a patrol boat led to a safe outcome with no injuries or environmental impact on the island’s sea area. The fact that the tourist boat was ultimately led to Livadi port, according to the Hellenic Coast Guard, confirms the port’s function as a reception and inspection point for boats on Serifos. Rescue operations on the island have also been recorded recently, such as the rescue of a woman from a cave, a fact that shows the regular mobilisation of the authorities on an island with a small permanent population but increased visitor numbers during the summer months.

According to the Hellenic Coast Guard, the tourist boat has been barred from sailing until a seaworthiness certificate is issued, a necessary step before it is allowed to move at sea again. Naxos Times does not report the boat’s name, flag or size, nor does it clarify what caused its drift from the anchorage, that is, whether it was a technical problem, human error or another cause explaining the incident. It also does not state whether a fine or other sanction is expected against those responsible for the boat, as the relevant inspection procedure is under way and has not yet been completed.