Croatia remembers firefighters on Kornat island tragedy anniversary 

(Photo: HVZ/Croatian Firefighters Union)

30 August 2023 – The anniversary of the tragedy on the island of Kornat, in which 12 firefighters from Šibenik, Vodice and Tisno lost their lives, is being held on Wednesay.  

On 30 August 2007, a fire broke out on the island of Kornat, part of the Kornati National Park, and a team of 23 firemen was sent in on an Mi-8 helicopter. 13 firefighters got stranded between two hills with no water and got encircled by a wall of fire.

Six were killed on the scene and six later from burns in hospital. Those who lost their lives in the tragic event 16 years ago were:

Dino Klarić (33) from Šibenik 
Gabrijel Skočić (20) from Vodice 
Hrvoje Strikoman (19) from Vodice 
Ivica Crvelin (42) from Tisno
Ivan Marinović (33) from Grebaštica
Marko Stančić (17) from Šibenik 
Ante Crvelin (23) from Tisno
Tomislav Crvelin (23) from Tisno
Josip Lučić (19) from Tisno
Karlo Ševerdija (17) from Vodice
Marinko Knežević (52) from Boraja
Ante Juričev Mikulin (22) from Vodice

Frane Lučić was the sole survivor, albeit with multiple injuries. 

This was the biggest loss of lives in the history of Croatian firefighting. 

“Croatia will forever cherish the memory of the greatest tragedy that struck Croatian firefighting and the Croatian state after the Homeland War,” said Croatia’s Minister of Defense today. 

Wreaths will be laid and candles lit today in honour of the firefighters who lost their lives and at 15:25, all firefighting units in Croatia will activate their sirens, and the procession of remembrance will start from Tisno this year.