MTS Oceanos was a French-built and Greek-owned cruise ship that sank in 1991 when it suffered uncontrolled flooding. Her captain, Yiannis Avranas, and some of the crew fled the ship without helping the passengers; they were later convicted of negligence. The ship's entertainers made a mayday transmission, launched lifeboats, and helped South African Marines land on the ship from naval helicopters. The entertainer Moss Hill’s actions enabled the rescue of all 571 passengers and crew and attracted international headlines.
Epirotiki Lines had lost two other ships within the three preceding years: the company's flagship Pegasus only two months before, and MV Jupiter, three years before.