In what is being referred to as this year’s “deadliest” refugee ship disaster off the coast of Greece, a boat upturned, drowning 79 migrants looking to enter Italy from Libya. Most of the victims were men from Afghanistan and Pakistan.
After the incident, the Greek government announced a three-day mourning over the lives lost.
Rescue Operations Ongoing
The boat capsized near the southern Peloponnese region, triggering a rescue response from Greek authorities. An official stated, “There has been a dramatic rise in the death count, which is climbing by the hour.”
The ship was submerged in water entirely and sank within 10 to 15 minutes after its engine malfunctioned.
‼️ A shipwreck occurred today off Pylos, Greece according to @HCoastGuard.
— IOM - UN Migration 🇺🇳 (@UNmigration) June 14, 2023
So far 104 survivors were brought to shore while 32 bodies were recovered. Search and rescue efforts continue and we fear more lives were lost.
Initial reports suggest up to 400 people were onboard. pic.twitter.com/7TBTWiHs84
As a result, rescue authorities deployed coastguard vessels, navy frigates, military transport planes, an air force helicopter, and several private crafts to aid in the search and rescue mission. However, their efforts were made difficult by strong winds in the region.
According to the Greek coastguard, the authorities tried making several calls to help the sinking vessel on later Tuesday, which were all ignored by the passengers as they wanted to “continue to Italy.” Two merchant ships with supplies and assistance were also turned down.
Hundred-and-four others were rescued by Wednesday afternoon. The survivors are being housed at the port city of Kalamata and are being treated for hypothermia and other injuries.
Concerningly, there is no clarity yet on the number of migrants who were initially onboard. Nevertheless, an official said that according to rescued migrants and estimates, there were around 600 on board.
In contrast, Ioannis Zafiropoulos, the deputy mayor of the southern port city of Kalamata, said that he has information that there were no more than 500 onboard. Meanwhile, a European rescue support charity and the UN’s migration agency believe 750 and 400 to have been onboard, respectively.
Devastating news.
— Mark Kersten (@MarkKersten) June 15, 2023
These tragedies aren’t due to shoddy boats or bad weather. They’re due to disastrous, cruel policies based on fear politics that make it impossible for refugees to take safe journeys. Time for a rights-focused rethink.#RefugeesWelcome https://t.co/Gh30iER9Xn
Security Protocol Disregarded on Ship
According to Nikos Alexiou, a spokesperson for the Hellenic Coastguard, the boat was “overcrowded,” with migrants filling up the outer part and the deck below.
In addition, the Greek coastguard said that when the sinking vessel was spotted by the EU’s border agency, Frontex, no passenger was wearing a life-jacket.
EU Seeking to Resolve Refugee Problem
International human smugglers have been looking to send vessels with refugees across to Italy rather than Greece, which is heavily guarded.
Meanwhile, Greece has been at the brunt of criticism for expelling potential asylum-seekers. However, the current centre-right government has defended its new approach to migration, saying that its policy is “tough but fair.”
In total, statistics by the UN suggest that over 72,000 refugees and migrants have arrived in EU member states along the Mediterranean, such as Italy, Greece, Spain, Malta, and Cyprus.
In light of repeated calls by EU coastal members, the bloc’s interior ministers agreed to a historic deal last month on the relocation of refugees within and outside the bloc.