On the evening of 26 September 2000, the passenger ferry EXPRESS SAMINA of Hellas Ferries made her last-ever journey, along with 472 passengers and 61 crew members. The ship, built in 1966 and present in Greece from 1982 to this day, left Piraeus on a stormy night, for the islands of Paros, Naxos, Patmos, Leipsoi, Ikaria and Samos. But she never reached the first stop. The ship hit two reefs at night, 2 nautical miles away from Paros, and sunk in less than an hour. 82 lives were tragically taken that night, along with the hearts of many. It remains today as one of the darkest days in the history of Greek Shipping.

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and friends. No one will ever forget you.

-Alexandros Vrailas