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The Technical University of Crete, under the scientific supervision of Emeritus Professor Evangelos Gidarakos of the School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, is conducting a new study aimed at investigating the environmental impacts and assessing the current state of the marine environment nearly 20 years after the sinking of the SEA DIAMOND, while the wreck remains in the Santorini caldera.
The programme includes two comprehensive rounds of sampling and laboratory analyses, with the aim of determining the presence and concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals in the area surrounding the wreck.
The Technical University of Crete has previously conducted long-term research in the area, documenting changes in environmental contamination through analyses of seawater, sediments and marine organisms. The new study is expected to provide updated scientific data on an issue that remains unresolved.
Furthermore, intense seismic activity in the wider area increases the risk of new fractures developing, which could accelerate the release of petroleum hydrocarbons and toxic metals into the marine environment. At the same time, the likelihood of the vessel shifting or sliding to a greater depth may also increase.
Monitoring marine pollution is essential, but it does not constitute a definitive solution. Addressing the problem remains linked to the need to remove the wreck from the Santorini caldera, a position that has also been highlighted by the Greek judiciary, including the Supreme Court (Areios Pagos) and the Council of State (Symvoulio tis Epikrateias).
