In an atmosphere of deep grief, the funeral of the 18-year-old who tragically lost her life on Thursday (27/8) at the Dermata waterfalls near Veria took place on Saturday morning (29/8) in the village of Sfikia. Relatives and friends gathered at the Church of Saint Athanasios to say their final goodbyes to the young girl who left this world far too soon.
The timeline and account of events
As a reminder, based on the information available so far, the 18-year-old fell into the water and was unable to resurface. The 17-year-old who was with her attempted to help but could not locate her. Shortly after, the authorities were notified and a search operation was launched. Police and Fire Service units rushed to the scene, while divers from the 2nd EMAK Special Disaster Response Unit of Thessaloniki also participated in the operation. The body of the young girl was eventually found at the bottom of the lake.
The young man who was accompanying Katerina described to the authorities what happened in the moments before the tragedy. According to Mega TV, he stated that the two of them had gone to the area to take photographs and enjoy some time in nature. Katerina entered the water while he remained on the bank, taking pictures of her. At some point he heard a cry, and within seconds she vanished from his sight. He immediately jumped into the lake, desperately trying to find and help her, but was unable to do so.
He then contacted the authorities and called for help. “We went to the lake, Katerina got in to swim and I was taking photos of her. Suddenly I heard a gasp and my friend was gone. I immediately jumped in to help her, but I couldn’t find her, so I called the authorities,” described the friend of the ill-fated Katerina.
What the autopsy revealed
The forensic examination determined that the young woman’s cause of death was drowning. No injuries or other visible signs of trauma were found on her body or face. Meanwhile, authorities are investigating every possible scenario in order to establish what happened before she fell into the water. Among the possibilities being examined is whether the 18-year-old suffered an epileptic episode, causing her to lose consciousness and fall into the lake.
As part of the investigation, her mobile phone was also seized. The aim is to examine its contents, including the last photos taken before the accident, to determine whether they can shed any light on her final moments.
