In Greece, the investigation into the fire on the island of Hydra has been completed. Wealthy Kazakh tourists, who were holidaying on board the yacht "Persephone I", were suspected of arson. Among them was businessman Daniyar Abulgazin.
According to ORDA, citing the Greek publication Kathimerini, the captain of the elite yacht has fully admitted his guilt regarding the incident, taking responsibility for the fire. In his statement, he said that other crew members and the tourists from Kazakhstan were not involved in the incident.
It is noted that the captain's testimony could lead to legal proceedings against 13 crew members.
"As Kathimerini has learned, the captain testified that he bought 15 fireworks, which he set up on a rock in the sea and launched. 14 of them landed away from the island, but one flew in the opposite direction and fell on one of the steep slopes, causing a fire. The captain also stated that he acted on his own initiative, without the help of other crew members and without any instructions from the yacht's charterer, whom he wanted to surprise", the report says.
The publication stated that the captain has retracted his previous testimony, explaining that he was in a state of panic and therefore gave an incorrect account of what happened.
Earlier, it was reported that a major fire on the Greek island of Hydra was caused by fireworks launched by tourists from a luxury yacht.
As has become known, wealthy Kazakh nationals were on the yacht and left the country the following day on a private plane. Among them was allegedly one of Kazakhstan's well-known businessmen, Daniyar Abulgazin, with his family. Also listed among the passengers were the Chairperson of the Board of Halyk Bank, Umut Shayakhmetova, her husband, a former top manager of the oil company KMG International NV, Beimbet Shayakhmetov, and their daughter.
In turn, Daniyar Abulgazin denied any involvement in the fire on the island in Greece.
Later, it became known that the Greek prosecutor's office had charged 8 adult Kazakh passengers with complicity in arson. Local authorities allegedly made an official request for assistance to the Kazakh authorities, as the yacht's charterers had left Greece without waiting to be questioned.