Athens - A 19-year-old British tourist was arrested on Tuesday in Crete on suspicion of fatally stabbing another Briton at a popular resort on the Greek island, a police source said.
The stabbing took place in the town of Malia, a favourite destination for young British tourists and renowned for its wild nightlife.
The victim, who is the same age as the suspected perpetrator, was found on the street outside a closed bar at 3am (00.00 GMT), police said. He had been stabbed in the chest.
According to the state-run Athens News Agency, another 17 people, all Britons, have been taken into custody in connection with the incident.
Malia is among the top five resorts for hundreds of thousands of young British tourists who travel to Greece every year, many of them vacationing without their parents for the first time.
Excessive drinking and poor-quality alcohol are blamed for causing arguments and fights.
The British ambassador in Greece recently inaugurated in Malia the Holiday Hangover consular campaign, designed to promote responsible behaviour.
“The aim is to remind young British travellers that their behaviour does have consequences and that they can take care of themselves, avoid trouble and have fun at the same time,” says a statement posted on the embassy's website in June. - AFP