Photo: © Derk Remmers
Wreck «Patris» (1868)
The passenger ferry "Patris" was one of the ships of the first steamship company founded in Greece. It was built in England in 1860 by order of the former King Otto and was renamed "Patrice" after the expulsion of the king. It was a luxury ship of iron, 700 tons, 217 feet long and 28 feet wide.
"Patris" sank after hitting a reef near Kea in February 1868, while operating the route Piraeus - Syros, in good weather. There were no casualties, as all the passengers were rescued ashore, but the financial damage to the Hellenic Steamship Company was great. The shipwreck remained unknown even to the residents of the island and was revealed after 138 years from its sinking cut in two, at a depth of between 28 and 54 meters. Today it is a popular attraction for diving enthusiasts, as, as one of the ten best diving spots in Greece, it is a wonderfully preserved shipwreck.