Over 600 deaths in shipwreck: Rights groups denounce Athens for little progress in probe

ATHENS

Two major global rights organizations on Thursday denounced Athens for making little progress in investigating the shipwreck of irregular migrants that occurred this summer off the coast of southern Greece and claimed over 600 lives.

“Official investigations into credible allegations that the Hellenic Coast Guard’s actions and omissions contributed to the catastrophic shipwreck and loss of life off Pylos, Greece(,) six months ago have made little meaningful progress,” Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a joint statement revealing findings of their investigation.

Having interviewed survivors, relatives of missing people, representatives of the Greek coastguards and police, as well as nongovernmental organizations and UN agencies, “They found that in the 15 hours between receiving the first alert that the (ship) Adriana was in their search and rescue region, and when it capsized, Greek authorities failed to mobilize appropriate resources for a rescue.”

“Survivors’ testimonies also challenge the authorities’ claim that people on the Adriana did not want to be rescued, which in any event would not have relieved the Hellenic Coast Guard of its obligation to take all measures necessary to ensure safety at sea,” it added.

The statement said, “The historic failures in Greece’s investigations of shipwrecks involving people on the move and the widespread impunity for systemic human rights violations at its borders raise concerns about the adequacy of the ongoing judicial inquiries into the Pylos tragedy.

“While the Pylos shipwreck raises broader issues relating to Frontex, EU search and rescue practices, and the role of merchant vessels, the information below focuses primarily on the responsibilities of the Greek authorities.”

On June 14, the 30-meter-long fishing boat capsized and sank about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Greece’s southern coastal town of Pylos, with the majority of people on board from Pakistan, Syria, and Libya.

There were 104 survivors, with 82 bodies recovered out of 400-700 migrants on board. The rest are missing or considered dead or both.

Greek Coast Guard's response

Meanwhile, according to the daily Kathimerini, the Greek Coast Guard responded, “Our officers, operate with a high sense of responsibility, and professionalism, as well as absolute respect for human life and human rights.”

"It is noted that from the year 2015 to 2023, in 6,125 incidents, 249,284 third-country nationals who were in danger at sea have been rescued by the Greek Coast Guard," it added.