Crete

After the first night with his family, Michalis Lempidakis wanted to go today to his company, the Plastics Crete plant.

Obviously moved, the Cretan businessman met with workers embracing them one by one who welcomed him with joy. When they asked him what tired him the most, he said: “I was tired more in my mind”.

More information about the actual police operation are being released continuously.

About three months ago, security officers had tracked down some of the perpetrators of the kidnapping of businessman Michalis Lempidakis in Crete, but they did not make any move until they were sure it was safe for the victim’s life.

A police operation on Crete resulted in the rescue of businessman Michalis Lembidakis, who was abducted in March of this year. At 7:30 Monday morning, police conducted a raid on a car parts junkyard in Rethymno where they found an emaciated Lembidakis tied to a mattress on the first floor of the building.

The sixth annual exhibition of products from Crete will take place at the Baroutadiko park in Aegaleo, western Athens, from Wednesday, September 27, to Sunday, October 1. The event is hosted by the Union of Cretans in Aegaleo and will feature a wide variety of delicacies from the island, including wines, honey, cheese, olive oil and many more, which will be available for tasting and purchase.

A 55-year-old man is to be charged with violating antiquities laws after an investigation linked him to the theft of 10 fossils of human footprints from Thessaloniki, northern Greece, and Kissamos on the island of Crete.

German Tour Operators Altours are consolidating their position in the Greek market after buying out a 4-star hotel Caroline Mare in Malia, Crete. The German company had also recently acquired the 4-star Zorbas Village hotel in Crete. Both hotels, the only ones operating in Crete, will be thoroughly renovated and upgraded next winter to adapt to the Allsun brand quality standards.

The Ilion Association of Cretans will host its annual wine festival, which as is customary will include lots of food, music and dancing to accompany the celebration of one of the island's finest products. The festival starts on Friday at 9 p.m. and will continue on Saturday night as well. Traditional Cretan music will be performed by the Nikos Zoidakis band.

After 10 sold-out performances last season, the Greek National Opera's Alternative Stage production of "Erotokritos" returns for one more night, this time at the open-air Herod Atticus Theater.

Greece's coast guard says it has located a crippled yacht carrying dozens of migrants in waters south of the Aegean island of Santorini, and is towing it to safety.

The coast guard says that between 50 and 70 people are believed to be on the vessel, which is expected to reach the port of Iraklion on Crete later on Thursday.