Cruise Ships in Crete Under Surveillance by Suspected Spy
A suspected spy arrested in Crete last week has raised alarms among Greek authorities after thousands of surveillance photos were discovered.
Many of the images included cruise ships docked at Souda Bay near Chania, Crete.
The 26-year-old Azerbaijani national, who was discovered to have entered Greece earlier this year using a Polish residency permit, was detained on June 22, 2025, near Souda naval base on suspicion of espionage.
The suspect reportedly rented a hotel room with a direct view of the naval base and used a professional camera.
Local media reveals that more than 5,000 photos were recovered from his electronic devices. And while many were focused on military targets like US and Greek warships, it is the close-range shots of cruise ships that are gaining attention.
“The fact that civilian cruise ships appear among the targets only amplifies the threat level,” a Greek defense analyst told Greek media.
The cruise ships included regular visitor Crown Iris, operated by Israeli cruise line Mano Maritime, which recently evacuated roughly 1,500 foreign nationals from Ashdod, Israel, to Limassol, Cyprus, on June 19 during Israel’s Operation Safe Return.
The ship routinely calls at Souda Bay as part of its Eastern Mediterranean itineraries.
Investigators believe the images of the cruise ships could represent part of a broader reconnaissance operation.
They are exploring whether the suspect has local contacts or sought recruits.
The incident also alarmingly mirrors a June 21, 2025, arrest in Cyprus of a British man, also of Azerbaijani descent, allegedly working for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
That suspect was arrested for photographing British and Cypriot military bases near Limassol.
Authorities believe they have uncovered a multi-pronged spying effort – possibly a precursor to a terror attack – targeting both military and civilian ships.
Cruise operators calling at Souda Bay are reportedly reviewing port security, while NATO-linked patrols and Greek authorities have increased surveillance around cruise docking zones.
Port Surveillance Raises New Fears
Unfortunately, this development comes as cruise lines had already altered course due to heightened geopolitical risks.
Since late 2023, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have launched dozens of attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
Those assaults, which included missiles and drones, have forced cruise ships and cargo traffic to reroute away from the Suez Canal, disrupting itineraries across the Middle East and East Africa.
With the Eastern Mediterranean taking on more cruise traffic diverted from the Red Sea, any suggestion that passenger ships are being surveilled by suspected foreign agents like the men arrested in Crete has raised serious alarms.
Souda Bay, where the recent suspect was captured with images of cruise ships, is both a NATO naval base and a regular port of call for cruise ships visiting Chania.
Crete is one of Greece’s most visited islands, and a popular destination for cruises in the Mediterranean and Greece.
Chania, a historic port on the northwest coast, is among the busiest of the nation’s cruise ports. Ships are arriving from major cruise lines, including P&O Cruises, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Princess Cruises, Virgin Voyages, Disney Cruise Line, Crystal Cruises, Silversea, TUI Cruises, and more within the next two weeks alone.
The less-visited Agios Nikolaos, located on the eastern end of the island, is also popular for smaller vessels. It is regularly welcoming Seabourn’s Encore and Silversea’s Silver Muse this summer.
The US does not currently have a travel advisory warning for Greece, but the UK has warned its citizens that “terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Greece.”