"Scatter Them in Santorini"... British Tourist Fulfills Father's Last Wish by Spreading Ashes in Alleyways

Locals Warn of Possible Hygiene Issues

A British tourist has sparked controversy by scattering his father's ashes in various locations throughout Santorini, a famous tourist destination in Greece.

An incident occurred in Santorini, a famous tourist destination in Greece, where a British tourist scattered ashes while roaming through the alleyways. Screenshot from X (formerly Twitter).

On June 1 (local time), foreign media outlets including the New York Post reported that a video showing a group of British tourists scattering ashes while walking through the alleyways of Oia, a district in northern Santorini, has been spreading on social networking services (SNS).

The video captures members of the group humming Bob Marley's 1977 hit song "Three Little Birds" as they scatter ashes in the residential alleyways of Santorini. It was reported that this act was carried out in accordance with the deceased's wishes to have his ashes scattered in Santorini.

At one point in the video, a woman can be heard bidding farewell, saying, "Goodbye, Dad." After all the ashes had been scattered, the group concluded the memorial ceremony by clapping their hands.

The reaction from local Greek residents was cold. One local netizen strongly criticized the act, stating, "Even in the UK, this behavior is not considered normal and is not legally permitted," and added, "Only crazy people would do something like this." Another netizen pointed out, "If the ashes belonged to someone who died of an infectious disease, there could be serious hygiene issues," and emphasized, "Because the island is very windy, the ashes could blow onto people, shops, and homes."

In fact, current Greek law restricts the scattering of ashes. Such acts are only permitted in designated memorial spaces, outdoors away from residential areas, or at authorized sites such as the sea. However, it is not yet known whether the group has faced any penalties or fines from the authorities.

Previously, in 2024, a British family scattered ashes in the sea at a Turkish resort, prompting authorities to conduct a water quality test. The deceased, who died from complications related to COVID-19, had fond memories of working at that sea, and the family scattered the ashes as an act of remembrance. Fortunately, the test results found nothing harmful or threatening to public health.

Meanwhile, Santorini has been grappling with overtourism in recent years. As a world-renowned tourist destination, there have been growing concerns that the influx of visitors is placing a heavy burden on local residents' traffic, parking, and infrastructure. In response, authorities are considering measures such as introducing a tourism tax, restricting vehicle access, and limiting the number of visitors.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.