Shocking moment: Tourists at British resort are asked to get off ferry into sea and wade through water with luggage

This is the alarming moment tourists at a British holiday destination were ordered to jump from their ferry into the sea.

The bewildered group clung to their belongings as they jumped in and waded through neck-deep water.

Tourists at a British holiday destination had to jump from their ferry into the seaCredits: Flashnews

Video shows holidaymakers trying to keep their belongings dry as they wade through the waterCredits: Facebook

There were tourists of all ages in the seaCredits: Facebook

After the holidaymakers arrived at a popular Greek lagoon, their ferry journey took a dramatic turn when the crew asked them to disembark far from land.

Shocking video footage shows a chain of confused holidaymakers wading through crystal clear waters in pursuit of shore.

They desperately try to keep their bags dry, holding them above their heads as they head towards the beach in Crete.

The group was forced into the water after authorities banned the use of a floating platform due to fears of excessive tourism, local reports said.

But after viewing the footage, authorities agreed to install a platform following week.

A platform would have allowed passengers to leave the ferry with much less difficulty, but instead crowds of tourists, young and old, found themselves having to swim to reach dry land.

With the help of a rope and the ferry crew, the passengers were sent out of the hatch and into the dazzling sea to reach shore.

The reason why the passengers were forced to disembark from the ferry remains unknown.

Young children and the elderly were ordered to stay on board the boats as they were deemed unable to reach the beach, according to local reports.

In the alarming footage of the fiasco, some passengers in the water can be heard laughing nervously.

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According to witnesses, many were too frightened to attempt the jump.

According to a report by zarpanews, an American tourist said it was an “unacceptable situation” for passengers on board the ferry, which can carry up to 900 people.

“People have to walk through neck-deep water to reach the seashore. Old people cannot walk,” they said.

The tourist added: “Most people stayed on the boat out of fear.

“Only about forty people came down and everyone came back angry and disappointed.”

According to the Greek media in.gr, the Ministry of Merchant Marine and Island Policy imposed the ban on the floating device to protect the beach from the invasion of tourists.

They have now changed their minds after seeing the footage, and a floating platform is set to reopen soon, according to reports.

A floating platform is a large structure designed to float on water, rather than being anchored to the ground.

Balos Lagoon in Crete is renowned for its pristine white sand and exotic turquoise waters.

Rare animals and plants inhabit the region and enjoy protected status, including Eleonora’s falcons, monk seals and loggerhead turtles.

Two weeks ago, a tourist took to TripAdvisor to share a similar experience that happened to him.

He wrote: “I recently took a day trip from Rethymno to Balos, and unfortunately it was a big disappointment.”

“Unlike my previous experience in 2021, this time I was not informed that the boat no longer docks in Balos.

“Instead, it stops 10 meters from the shore, forcing passengers to disembark in deep water.”

They continued: “The disembarkation was chaotic and frustrating, taking over an hour and 45 minutes to get everyone off the boat.

“Many people had difficulty swimming, which added to the chaos. It is disconcerting that the government would ban boats from docking in Balos Bay but allow them to stop 10 metres away.

Tips for packing for the holidays

Jemma Solomon, aka The Label Lady, has 5 packing tips to help you get organized for your next vacation.

1. Write a list

Think about all the essentials you need to take with you: sunscreen, medication, some games for the kids, beach towels, and write everything down on a list, which you can check off as you add it to your suitcase.

Or, for simplicity, try Google’s AI app, Gemini, which will create a list for you and help you avoid overpacking.

2. Involve your children

Jemma said: “My daughters are getting older, they’re 11 and nine, and they love helping with the packing. So I send them a list and say, ‘Here’s what you need’ and they follow the list.

“Then I give them each a backpack and say, ‘You can put whatever you want in it, as long as it’s not liquid,’ and they can take it on the plane. And that’s their ‘home’ stuff.”

3. Try a trick or two

She said: “I think they all work, but for different reasons – and you just have to choose the one that suits your journey.

“Rolling your clothes is a good idea to keep them from wrinkling. And if you’re trying to fit a lot of items into your suitcase, it helps save space.

“The packing cubes are very practical: for example, I go on holiday with my three children and we all use the same suitcase for our clothes.

“These convenient compartments allow you to separate your clothes, toiletries and technology into designated cubes, maximizing your luggage space by keeping your items compressed and neatly stacked.

“I love taking them abroad with the family and it means my children can easily take care of their own things once we arrive.”

4. Decant beauty products

Do you really need to carry around regular-sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner? The beauty industry has evolved so much that you can now buy shampoo bars or sheets, which are much lighter and smaller.

Or, if you’re going shopping while you’re abroad, consider purchasing a few items when you arrive.

5. Get organized before you get home

Jemma said: “When packing up your things on holiday (before you go home) the trick is to separate the clean clothes from the dirty clothes.

“Also pack them in a certain order: light colors, dark colors, colors for items that need to be washed, or if you wash your clothes by person in the household, piles for each person.

“Then you can put it directly in the washing machine. Do it right away, don’t let it dry.”

“This rule seems absurd and seriously affects the experience.”

According to research website Statista, there were more than 800,000 visitors to Crete from the UK in 2023, the second highest figure after Germany, which sent 1.2 million tourists to the Greek island.

The move comes after Britons were issued a holiday warning as Greece plans to limit the number of cruise ships in a bid to combat overtourism on its islands.

The country’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is considering limiting the number of cruise ships to popular islands such as Santorini and Mykonos, amid fears of tourism saturation.

According to Bloomberg, new cruise ship regulations could either restrict the number of berths on each island or introduce an auction process for slots.

Since the end of pandemic measures, a record number of tourists have been visiting Greece, with the tourism industry accounting for 25% of the country’s economy.

Despite the huge profits, Prime Minister Mitsotakis is concerned about the environmental impact of cruise ships on his islands.

Mr Mitsotakis told Bloomberg: “I think we will do it next year.”

Number of cruise ships to popular Greek islands to be limited if regulations come into force following year.

Have you been affected by the ferry chaos? Contact us: [email protected] OR call The Sun on 020 7782 4100, You can also reach us on WhatsApp at 07423 720 250

According to local reports, the crew asked passengers to get into the water as it was the only way to access the beach.Credits: Facebook

Passengers had to enter the water because authorities banned the use of a floating platform, according to reports.Credits: Facebook

Here one of the passengers reboards the shipCredits: Facebook

Authorities are now reconsidering their decision to ban the platformCredits: Facebook