Attica and its surrounding regions often hide stories we’ve never heard
Attica and the areas around it often conceal stories we don’t know and have never come across. One such story belongs to a small island near Marathon. Dhipsa is the islet close to Marathon where 96 shipwreck survivors once found refuge.
The island of Dhipsa near Marathon and the shipwrecked passengers
The tiny island of Dhipsa lies in the South Euboean Gulf, about 6 nautical miles from the beach of Marathon. It is rocky and barren. In antiquity, it served as a place of exile and punishment. Because those banished there often died of thirst, the island is said to have taken its name from that fate. Today, fishermen also call it “Lampsi” (“Shine”), due to the lighthouse installed there after the wreck of the steamship Kleio in 1904.
What exactly happened back then? It was Tuesday, January 6th, 1904 — the day of Epiphany — when the passengers of the steamship Kleio watched their 60‑meter vessel sink in the middle of the South Euboean Gulf. The island of Dhipsa became their salvation. That is where the shipwrecked passengers sought shelter. They had no supplies, no means of communication, and no way to escape.
How did the shipwreck occur? It is said that the sub‑lieutenant, who had taken over the ship’s navigation, fell asleep at the helm. As a result, the vessel drifted off course. Inevitably, the Kleio crashed violently into Dhipsa, the small rocky islet of the Euboean Gulf. The impact was so strong that destruction was unavoidable. The large steamship began taking on water and slowly, steadily sank into the dark sea.
Panic naturally followed. The captain ordered the sailors to create an improvised bridge between the ship and the islet. This allowed most passengers and crew members to cross safely. However, many passengers, unable to remain calm, jumped into the sea and tried to climb the sharp rocks of Dhipsa. This is how the only victim of the shipwreck lost his life.
Another passenger made a desperate decision: he dove into the freezing waters to seek help — and succeeded. He swam 5.5 nautical miles and reached Styra in Evia, where he alerted the authorities.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Dhipsa is a small, rocky, and barren islet located in the South Euboean Gulf, approximately 6 nautical miles from the beach of Marathon in Attica, Greece. In antiquity, it served as a place of exile and punishment. Today, it is also known as 'Lampsi' (Shine) due to the lighthouse installed there after the 1904 steamship wreck.
On January 6, 1904 (Epiphany), the steamship Kleio sank in the South Euboean Gulf after crashing into Dhipsa island. A sub-lieutenant who had fallen asleep at the helm caused the vessel to drift off course, resulting in a violent collision with the rocky islet. The 60-meter ship took on water and sank, with 96 passengers and crew members seeking shelter on Dhipsa.
After the Kleio sank, the captain ordered sailors to create an improvised bridge between the ship and the islet, allowing most passengers and crew to cross safely to Dhipsa. The castaways had no supplies, means of communication, or way to escape. A heroic passenger swam 5.5 nautical miles in freezing waters to reach Styra in Evia and alert authorities for rescue.
Dhipsa is called 'Lampsi,' which means 'Shine' in Greek, because of the lighthouse that was installed on the island following the 1904 wreck of the steamship Kleio. Fishermen adopted this name to refer to the islet after the lighthouse was constructed.
Only one person died in the Kleio shipwreck of 1904. This victim was a passenger who, unable to remain calm during the panic, jumped into the sea and attempted to climb the sharp rocks of Dhipsa island, resulting in his death. Out of 96 passengers and crew members, this was the only casualty.
