ISLAND MYSTERY
Brit, 44, found dead with head injury off Greek hols island was ‘almost certainly unconscious’ before ‘falling’ in sea
The tragedy brings the death toll of tourists in Greece to eight since the beginning of June
A BRIT found dead with a head injury off a Greek island was "almost certainly unconscious" before he ended up in the water.
A coastguard said the 44-year-old "appeared to be have been hit" on the left side of his head.
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The man's body was discovered off the island of Spetses - dubbed a "playground for the rich".
He was found "floating in the sea" in the island’s exclusive old port area, officials said.
A police source has now told The Sun that the Brit appeared to have been knocked unconscious before he ended up in the water.
"Some are now saying he fell from a boat," the source said.
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“What is sure is that he had an injury on the left side of his head and was almost certainly unconscious when he fell into the sea."
A coastguard official said the "gash" on the left side of his head was "puzzling".
“He seems to have been hit," they said.
"We hope to have answers soon because right now it is a mystery as to how he died."
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Coastguard officials, police and locals confirmed on Saturday that, two days after the discovery of the body, “nearly no” progress had been made as to how the Brit lost his life.
“There are things that don’t add up,” an official told The Sun.
“The probe continues with witness testimonies and a full inquiry is underway.”
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Initially it was thought that the man, believed to be a yachtsman participating in Spetses’ annual Classic Yacht Regatta, had fallen into the sea from a wharf in the island’s exclusive old port area.
But it's understood no one had reported him missing before he was found dead.
A businessman in the old port told The Sun: "It is not even certain where, exactly, his body was found.
"Nobody knows what happened. It’s tragic.”
On Friday, the Brit's body was transferred to a coroner’s office in the port city of Piraeus, outside the Greek capital.
An autopsy report compiled by forensic scientists is expected to be released.
But The Sun was told the results of toxicology tests that could shed light on the “exact cause of death” could take several months.
Spetses, long the playground for the rich and famous, is a two-hour hovercraft ride away from Athens.
Media reports suggest the dead sailor had arrived on the island to take part in the three-day Regatta which attracts hundreds of sailing fanatics each year.
What is sure is that he had an injury on the left side of his head and was almost certainly unconscious when he fell into the sea
police insider
The tragedy brings the death toll of tourists in Greece to eight since the beginning of June – described as “unprecedented” by authorities.
With the exception of the latest incident all the victims, including the British TV presenter, Michael Mosley, lost their lives while hiking in blistering temperatures.
Michael, a celebrity doctor, was found dead on the remote island of Symi on June 9th, five days after he went missing
Greece has been sweltering in extreme heat for most of the month with the country forced to take emergency measures.
These included closing the Acropolis, the Greek capital’s most visited site, during the hottest hours of the day.
One local Spetsiot said the tragedy had left the island shocked.
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“This is the Monte Carlo of Greece and nothing like this ever happens here. We’re really shocked,” they said.
Spetses is home to some of the richest people in Greece with the founder of easJet, Sir Selios Haji-Ioannou, among the well-heeled residents with villas there.
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