Seven summers later, the memories of the Mati tragedy remain vivid. “We were swimming for at least 3 hours and the wind was pushing us inward, toward Evia. After we saw everything burning, because the greenery came all the way down, we decided to get out. That’s when I realized – because before, in the water, I hadn’t understood – that I had been burned.” Ioanna Gatopoulou, a severe burns victim from Mati, recalls that day when time stopped and the sea became her only refuge.
Speaking to ERT, she recounted the events of that tragic day as she experienced them. Ms. Gatopoulou spoke about the tragic day, from the moment the fire started. As she said, “I went down toward the sea which is very close. There on Poseidonos street, the cars were in four rows, even though it’s a very narrow road that can’t fit more than 2 cars. I had to make many maneuvers to get down to the path, which only we locals knew. I reached the sea and entered the water, like the others from the apartment building.”
Mati fire: The shocking testimonies
“Leaving the house, I felt something like small stones from the air on my back, on my legs, on my arms that were uncovered. When we came out of the water though, I started having unbearable pain and we were waiting for some means of transport to come get us, at least us burn victims, to take us to some center, hospital…” she added.
“Some people notified the Coast Guard in Rafina, which came after three quarters of an hour, did nothing. It left because it was heard that it couldn’t approach. They didn’t think to deploy a boat and we waited there another hour and more with the wind, the smoke… unable to see in front of you. At some point an inflatable boat with private individuals was found, who took me and another lady who were burn victims and took us to the medical center in Nea Makri,” she added.
Regarding the court’s decision, Ms. Gatopoulou said there was no justice. “The result was that the same punishment, let’s call it sentence, was given as in the first court, that is 10 euros per day for three years. I consider this rather a mockery. It’s partial justice, for the four who went to prison.”
