THE SHIPWRECK OFF PAPHOS

What makes a tourist attraction a tourist attraction? This question is possibly a permanent item on the agenda of national tourist organisations the world over – and in Cyprus the issue is probably much the same.

The island’s very existence is rooted in ancient civilisation and mythology. Paphos is a prime example. St.Paul’s pillar within the compound of the church of Chrysopolitissa is where, by tradition, Saint Paul was flogged. A few kilometers from the main town is Aphrodite’s Rock, which juts out of the Mediterranean Sea at the spot where Aphrodite, the mythological goddess of love is said to have emerged from the sea in 1200BC.

People come from across the world to visit these locations – yet more recent events have added to the interest value of visiting Paphos. One such object – of nautical attention – can be seen whilst traveling along the main Paphos to Coral Bay Road.

On 23 March 1998, the Honduran-flagged M/V Demetrios II ran aground off Paphos Lighthouse, close to Chloraka Village, in heavy seas during a voyage from Greece to Syria with a cargo of timber.
When the accident took place, the ship had eight crew members – four Greeks, two Pakistanis and two Syrians. The crew were rescued and airlifted to the safety of Paphos by a British Military Helicopter.

At the time of the incident, reports in the English-language newspaper ‘The Cyprus Mail’ stated that seafarers certificates issued for some of the crew of the cargo ship were forged – confirmed in a report appearing in Lloyds List that the competency certificates issued for the Greek captain and the Pakistani first officer were “high-quality” Liberian fakes.
The Demetrios II was left stranded on rocks near the Paphos lighthouse, where it remains to this day – a fascinating landmark and an item of noteworthy interest!