Missing 78-year-old French tourist found dead off Made beach in Crete

Disappearance at Made beach

A 78-year-old French tourist who went missing during an afternoon swim off the northern coast of Crete was found dead on Saturday, 19 September 2026. The elderly man had travelled to the Greek island for a holiday with his wife, and the couple was staying at a hotel located within the Malevizi municipality in the Heraklion regional unit. According to reports and local resident accounts, the man went to Made beach on the afternoon of Friday, 18 September, intending to bathe in the sea. Before stepping into the water, he left his personal belongings, including his wristwatch, resting on a sunbed on the beach. When the man did not return to his accommodation after several hours, his wife grew concerned and alerted Greek emergency authorities, prompting the immediate activation of a search protocol.

Overnight mobilization and air-sea search

The search and rescue operation was placed under the direct command of the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (EKSED), which mobilised resources across land, sea, and air. Emergency teams maintained an active search throughout the entire night between Friday and Saturday. Specialized divers from the wider Heraklion region carried out underwater searches in the dark, conducting a dive at approximately 03:00 to examine the seabed near the shore. At first light on Saturday, authorities escalated the maritime effort with additional vessels and personnel. The surface deployment comprised two Hellenic Coast Guard patrol craft, two private vessels, a launch boat, and an independent civilian diver tasked with sweeping the sea floor.

Aerial surveillance by drone units

In parallel with maritime operations, search authorities integrated aerial surveillance over the coastal and marine environment. The Hellenic Fire Service dispatched its Ikaros Drone Team to provide aerial monitoring across the bay and adjacent cliffs. The drone unit executed repeated, systematic flights over the sea and coastal zone, attempting to map the waters and detect any visual signs of the missing swimmer. Search crews coordinated closely between the surface vessels, the seabed divers, and the aerial drone operators to systematically canvas the entire bay of Made where the tourist was last seen entering the water.

Discovery off Made and transfer to Pantanassa

The search mission reached a conclusion during the midday hours of Saturday when a diver from the Hellenic Coast Guard located the 78-year-old tourist unresponsive in the waters off Made beach. Search teams recovered the man from the sea and transported his body to the nearby small port and marina of Pantanassa. Officials summoned the victim's wife to the port facility to complete the formal identification process. Competent port and maritime authorities have initiated an official inquiry to establish the exact sequence of events and medical circumstances surrounding the drowning off the coast of Malevizi.