A PARTY beach where Brits flock to every year is to close for the whole summer due to fears its crumbling cliffs could collapse.
News that Shipwreck - or Navagio - beach on the party paradise island of Zante is to shut during the busiest time of year has been greeted with fury.
The Instagram favourite is famous not only for its shipwreck – believed to be the remains of a vessel carrying contraband – but also for its fabulous turquoise waters.
But seven holidaymakers were injured after large chunks of the limestone cliff dislodged with such force that boats were overturned in the remote bay back in 2018.
Now, just as Brits were expected to descend on the island for a summer of fun, it’s been closed for repairs by the Greek authorities , sparking outrage.
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“We are very, very angry,” local councillor Stavros Kakolyris told The Sun Online.
“It’s going to be a huge blow. This is Greece’s number one attraction.
“The decision surprised us all. We had no idea. The government could have done something about it years ago. It's messed up big time.”
Kakolyris complained party boats won't be able to moor close to the beach but will have to keep far away.
“Essentially tourists who in the past could swim up to, and around, the beach won’t even be able to do that.”
Officials on Zante said that the island’s mayor would this week implore the authorities to think twice about the decision.
Talks are believed to be underway to allow boats to visit the bay at a closer distance to the site.
“Right now we don’t even know how many will be allowed in the bay, or for how long they can stay,” said Kakolyris.
“Of course safety has to come first but even the experts say boats in the bay are OK.”
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For decades, more Brits have visited the Ionian isles than any other nationality.
Greece is expected to attract a record number of UK tourists this summer, after breaking records last year when 4.5 million Brits descended on the popular destination
Ionian island Zante, also known as Zakynthos, is especially popular among young Brit partygoers.
Successive landslides on the island have also raised concerns over the safety of the beach.
During the 2018 horror, tourists had been lying on the beach, soaking up the rays, when the landslide occurred.
A massive rescue operation followed with the injured group being rushed to the island’s general hospital.
The decision to close the beach was taken by Greece’s tourism ministry.
It was based on expert advice provided by Professor Ethymios Lekkas, head of the country’s National Earthquake Planning and Protection Organisation.
After inspecting the area he advised that the beach be declared off limits, saying past attempts at defining visitor zones had failed because of lack of adequate patrols and were therefore too risky.
“We have had successive landslides which are part of the natural process that feeds this site, the most beautiful beach in Greece,” he said.
“We cannot rule out newer and larger landslides. An accident would be disastrous.”
Acknowledging the uproar, Greece’s tourism minister Vassilis Kikilias said he was “the last person” who wanted to see the legendary beach closed.
“But we have to listen to the experts. It would be negligent to do otherwise,” he said.
“We cannot endanger the lives of residents and travellers who visit the Navagio beach.”
