Court issues sentences for deadly 2024 amusement park accident in Chalkidiki

The Mixed Jury Court of Giannitsa has sentenced four individuals in connection with the August 2024 amusement park accident in Pefkochori, Chalkidiki, which resulted in the death of 19-year-old Giannis Kampailis. The 61-year-old owner of the amusement park received a life sentence plus an additional eight years for homicide with eventual intent, involving both the deceased and his younger brother, who survived the ride. The court sentenced the project engineer to 13 years, the owner's spouse to 9 years, and the 23-year-old ride operator to 6 years in prison. While the owner was ordered to return to custody, the court granted the other three defendants suspended sentences pending an appeal, provided they pay bail and refrain from leaving the country. The victim’s father, Giannis Kampailis, criticized the sentences as lenient and accused the Kassandra Municipality of failing to regulate the unlicensed facility. A separate trial involving 11 municipal officials is scheduled for next month to address alleged oversight failures.