Deadly secret behind picturesque Greek party island paradise
The island is a haven for young tourists who pack its nightclubs, boats and beach festivals each summer, but it has a violent and deadly history.
Known by its Italian name Zante, the party island has been likened to Spain’s party island of Ibiza.
But the harbour resort, popular for its golden sandy beaches and picturesque cliff views, has become a cesspit of violence, with a spate of tourist deaths - the most recent being last week's fatal bashing of an American holiday-maker.
Bakari Henderson, 22, was visiting Greece with friends but became wrapped up in a heated confrontation involving two bar staff and a number of customers, and was beaten to death, the Washington Post reported last week.
Greek police spokesman Theodore Chronopoulos said the college graduate was attacked by as many as 15 men and his death was caused by hits to the head.
Surveillance footage from the incident outside a bar on the Greek island showed Mr Henderson being chased before a gang began to attack him in the street.
Nine men have been arrested and charged with intentional homicide including a 34-year-old Greek bartender, a 32-year-old Serbian man with British citizenship, six Serbians aged between 18-25 and the 33-year-old who police believe started the fight.
The American wasn't the first tourist whose holiday ended in tragedy after violence on the holiday island.
A 19-year-old British tourist Robert James Sebbage, was fatally stabbed in the heart in 2011, after an altercation with a taxi driver, who was reportedly sentenced to 16 years and four months in jail.
Three years earlier, 17-year-old British visitor Matthew Cryer was killed outside a Laganas nightclub. A UK inquest a year later revealed the young holiday-maker suffered 20 injuries and as a result had been “unlawfully killed”.
The European holiday destination, popular for Australians as well as Brits and Italians also has a reputation for deadly or near-fatal mishaps, with recent reports of tourists falling to their death while trying to take selfies, or ending up fighting for life in hospital, with permanent injuries, after drinking suspect alcohol.
Locals have turned to social media to shame party-goers, with a Facebook page dedicated to critising the drunk and disorderly behaviour.
Newsbreak - July 16
