Two men drown within hours at Hersonissos and Malia beaches

Two men died in separate drowning incidents while swimming at beaches in the Hersonissos and Malia area of Crete on Monday, according to Cretalive.

A 35-year-old man from Moldova was pulled unconscious from the sea at Potamos beach in Malia around midday. A lifeguard administered first aid before an EKAB ambulance took him to Venizeleio Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The B’ Port Authority Department of Hersonissos, under the Central Port Authority of Heraklion, which is conducting the preliminary investigation, has ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Earlier the same day, a 60-year-old man from the Netherlands died in the sea off a beach in Malia. A lifeguard also provided first aid to him before he was transferred to Venizeleio Hospital, where his death was confirmed. An autopsy will also be carried out to establish the circumstances of his death.

Both beaches lie along a stretch of Crete’s northern coast that draws large numbers of visitors, part of the island’s wider network of beaches.