Cruise Ship Suspected in Power Outage on Greek Island

A well-known Greek island was plunged into darkness after a power failure hit Argostoli, the capital of Kefalonia. Authorities are now investigating whether the cause was an underwater power cable damaged by a cruise ship’s anchor.

The Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (HEDNO) reported that the outage began at around 4:30 p.m. local time on May 4, leaving central Argostoli without power for about an hour. Nearby areas also experienced electrical disruptions during this time.

Local news outlets, including Kefaloniapress, shared a photo believed to show the cruise ship Celestyal Journey at the scene when the suspected incident occurred, raising the possibility that the vessel’s anchor struck a submarine cable while maneuvering.

Divers were dispatched to evaluate the situation, and HEDNO confirmed that a major fault was found in the underwater cable. By 5:30 p.m., crews had temporarily restored electricity by diverting supply through an alternative line. However, officials caution that fully repairing the damage will require specialized work and could take several days.

Undersea cables are vital infrastructure, and anchor-related accidents are not unheard of. The International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) has documented past incidents, such as a 2008 event off Sicily where a ship’s anchor dragged across 300 kilometers, damaging six submarine cables.

As of now, Greek maritime authorities have not issued any formal statements about the suspected involvement of the cruise ship. HEDNO continues to oversee the situation, with further investigations underway to confirm the cause and explore measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.