Motor yacht crew faces criminal charges over Greek island fire allegedly sparked by fireworks

ATHENS, Greece — A Greek prosecutor filed charges Sunday against the captain and crew of a chartered yacht suspected of starting a forest fire on an Aegean Sea resort island during a fireworks display.

Greece has been plagued by numerous forest fires in recent days in a hot, dry and windy climate. On the day of the fire, authorities warned of a maximum fire risk in several areas, calling on the population to exercise extreme caution.

The fire on a remote stretch of coastline on the popular island of Hydra, 40 nautical miles (46 miles) south of Athens, destroyed about 75 acres of pine forest Friday evening.

The crew of the large motor yacht, believed to have been anchored right where the fire broke out with 17 tourists on board, was arrested on Saturday as it docked near Athens. The tourists were neither arrested nor charged.

State television ERT said the captain of another yacht anchored nearby told authorities the fire was started by fireworks fired from the suspects' vessel Friday evening.

A prosecutor at the port of Piraeus, which serves Athens, on Sunday ordered the detention of the 13 suspects pending their appearance before an investigating judge.

ERT said they were charged under tougher legislation passed recently and would face sentences of 10 to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Greece suffers from destructive wildfires every summer that have significantly reduced its forest cover, caused many deaths and burned homes and properties.

Authorities have warned of a particularly high risk this summer, following a hot, dry winter that left vegetation almost dry.

Firefighters said Sunday evening that 41 wildfires had broken out across the country in the past 24 hours.

The Hydra fire was extinguished after several hours by firefighters brought by boat to the site, which was uninhabited and difficult to access by land.