A 40-year-old Dutch woman fell overboard from an inflatable boat and drowned off the coast of Malia, Crete, in front of three minor children. The woman and a fellow Dutch compatriot had rented the inflatable vessel together, though as reported by neakriti.gr, the exact circumstances surrounding the Wednesday afternoon incident — which occurred on August 5 — have yet to be fully clarified. According to the same reports, two of the children on board were under the age of 5, while the third was a teenager.
Witnesses on the water immediately called for help, and jet skis from nearby water sports businesses rushed to the scene. The second woman managed to pull her friend out of the water, but the 40-year-old was already unconscious. By the time an EKAB ambulance arrived at the beach, she had passed away.
According to cretalive.gr, citing sources within the Coast Guard, renting watercraft of up to 30 horsepower requires no license, which is why such vessels are extremely popular among tourists. The relevant authorities are now investigating the exact circumstances that led to the woman entering the water and losing her life.
