THIS is the alarming moment tourists at a Brit holiday hotspot are ordered to leap from their ferry into the sea.
The baffled group clutched onto belongings as they made the jump before wading through the neck-deep water.
After the sunseekers arrived in a popular Greek lagoon their ferry ride took a dramatic turn for the worse when the crew instructed them to disembark the boat far away from land.
Shocking video footage shows the chain of confused holidaymakers wading through crystal clear waters in pursuit of the shore.
They desperately try to keep their bags dry, holding them above their heads as they make their way to the beach in Crete.
The gaggle were forced to enter the water after officials banned the use of a floating platform due to fears of overtourism, local reports said.
But following authorities’ viewing of the footage, they have agreed to install a platform next week.
A platform would have helped the passengers leave the ferry with far less hassle – but instead, swarms of tourists, both old and young, found themselves having to swim to get to land.
With the help of a rope and ferry crew, the passengers were sent out of the hatch and into the dazzling sea to reach the shore.
The reason behind the passengers having to disembark the ferry remains unknown.
The small children and the elderly were instructed to stay on the ships 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 nervously laughing.
According to witnesses many were too scared to even attempt the jump.
A report by zarpanews stated one American tourist said it was an “unacceptable situation” for the passengers on board the ferry – which can carry up to 900 people.
“People have to walk through neck-deep water to reach the edge of the sea. Elderly people are unable to walk,” they said.
The tourist added: “Most people stayed on the ship out of fear.
“Only about 40 people got off and everyone came back angry and disappointed.”
According to Greek news outlet in.gr, the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy imposed the ban of the floating device to protect the beach from being overrun by tourists.
They have now changes their minds since seeing the footage, with a floating platform due to reopen again shortly, according to reports.
A floating platform is a large structure structure that is designed to float on water, rather than being anchored to the ground.
The lagoon in Balos, Crete, is renowned for its pristine white sand and exotic turquoise waters.
Rare animals and plants inhabit the area and have protected status, including Eleanora falcons, monk seals and loggerhead sea turtles.
Two weeks ago, one tourist took to TripAdvisor to share a similar experience that had happened to him.
He wrote: “I recently went on a day excursion from Rethymno to Balos, and unfortunately, it was a major disappointment.”
“Unlike my previous experience in 2021, this time I was not informed that the boat no longer docks at Balos.
“Instead, it stops 10 meters away from the shore, forcing passengers to disembark into deep water.”
They continued: “Disembarking was chaotic and frustrating, taking over 1 hour and 45 minutes to get everyone off the boat.
“Many people struggled because they couldn’t swim, adding to the chaos. It’s baffling that the government prohibits boats from docking in Balos Bay but allows them to stop 10 meters away.
Jemma Solomon, aka The Label Lady has got 5 packing tips to help you get organised for your next holiday.
1. Write a list
Think about all the essentials you need to take with you; suncream, medicine, a few games for the kids, beach towels, and write everything in one list, which you can tick off as you add it to your suitcase.
Or for complete ease, try Google’s AI app – Gemini – which will create a list for you and help you not over pack.
2. Involve your kids
Jemma said: “My girls are getting older, they’re 11 and nine, and they enjoy helping to pack. So I send them a list, and say ‘this is what you need’ and they follow the list.
“And then I give them a rucksack each – and say to them ‘you can have whatever you want in there as long as it’s not liquid’, and they can take that on the plane. And that’s their ‘home away from home’ items.”
3. Try a hack or two
She said: “I think they all work, but for different reasons – and you’ve just got to pick the right one for your trip.
“Rolling your clothes is really good to stop your clothes from getting creases. And if you’re trying to get a lot of items into your case, it’s a space saver.
“Packing cubes are great – for example, I’m going on holiday with my three kids and we’re all using the same suitcase for our clothes.
“These handy compartments let you separate your clothes, toiletries and tech into designated cubes, maximising luggage space by keeping your items compressed and neatly stacked.
“I love taking them abroad with the family and it means my kids can easily take charge of their own items once we’ve arrived.”
4. Decant beauty products
Do you really need to take full-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner with you? The beauty industry has evolved so much, you can now buy shampoo bars or sheets – which are much lighter and smaller.
Or, if you’ll be popping to the shops when you’re abroad, consider buying some items when you arrive.
5. Get organised before you come home
Jemma said: “When you repack on holiday [before coming home], the trick is to separate clean from dirty clothes.
“Also pack it in some form of order – so lights, darks, colours for items that need washing, or if you wash your clothes by person in the household, piles for each person.
“Then you can put it straight into the washing machine. Do it straight away, don’t leave it.”
“This rule seems nonsensical and severely impacts the experience”.
According to research site Statista, there were more than 800,000 visitors to Crete from the UK in 2023, the second highest after Germany, which sent 1.2million tourists to the Greek island.
It comes after Brits were issued a holiday warning as Greece plans to cap cruise ship numbers in a bid to combat over tourism on its islands.
The country’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is considering limiting cruise ship numbers on popular islands like Santorini and Mykonos following concerns of tourism saturation.
New regulations on cruise ships could either restrict the number of berths on each island or introduce a bidding process for slots, according to Bloomberg.
Record numbers of tourists have been travelling to Greece since pandemic measures came to an end, with the tourism industry accounting for 25 per cent of the country’s economy.
Despite the huge profits, prime minister Mitsotakis is concerned about the environmental impact cruise ships are having on its islands.
Mr Mitsotakis told Bloomberg: “I think we will do it next year.”
Cruise ship numbers on popular Greek Islands will be limited, if the regulations do come into force next year.
Mr Mitsotakis added: “Santorini is the most sensitive, Mykonos will be the second.
