THOUSANDS have been left stranded and two dead after gale force winds have pummelled Greece.

Travel plans have been disrupted for hundreds of tourists bound for holiday hotspot islands including Mykonos and Naxos .

A sailing ban has been issued as authorities have urged travellers to seek alternative routes amid raging winds across the islands.

The restriction does not apply, however, to ferries heading to and from the nearby Saronic Gulf islands.

The civil protection ministry said wind gusts would reach 88 kilometres (54 miles) an hour, especially in the southern Aegean and the Sea of Crete, sparking travel chaos for thousands of tourists.

Passengers are suffering mounting queues thanks to dozens of cancelled ferries at the ports of Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio.

Ferries for Syros,

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