Undersea Fresh Water Pipeline Attacked for…Fourth Time

Project constructed to solve constant water shortage on Saronic Gulf island of Aegina; operation reminiscent of naval special warfare raid

Αn undersea pipeline supplying fresh water from the north-facing mainland to the Saronic Gulf island of Aegina this week was targeted and vandalized for an unprecedented fourth time, an attack using explosives that’s reminiscent of underwater demolition operations.

The damage was discovered and reported on Thursday, coinciding with the significant vandalism of a worksite in western Crete taking part in the construction of an undersea power interconnector linking the large island with the Greek mainland.

The fourth attack, beyond the up-until-now fruitless law enforcement investigations, finally generated a response by office-holders, with the newly elected Attica Regional Governor, Nikos Hardalias, filing a complaint on Friday with a relevant prosecutor to expand the probe into the audacious sabotage.

Authorities believe an explosive device was placed on the pipeline at a depth of 50 meters, meaning the perpetrator or perpetrators had advanced scuba diving skills, equipment, a watercraft and knowledge on how to place and activate an explosive device in undeasea conditions.

Aegina is a popular all-year-round destination for urban dwellers in the greater Athens-Piraeus area, lying some 45 kilometers south of the port of Piraeus, and also has a sizable permanent population of residents. What the large Saronic Gulf island doesn’t have is adequate water resources for household use and irrigation.