In one of Europe’s most devastating shipping disasters in recent years, at least 79 migrants have drowned and hundreds more are feared dead after their overcrowded boat capsized and sank off the coast of Greece. The tragic incident occurred while the vessel, carrying an estimated 750 people, was en route from Libya to Italy.
Rescue operations are currently underway to locate survivors amidst the wreckage. A European rescue-support charity reported that approximately 750 individuals were aboard the ship, while the UN’s migration agency estimated the number to be up to 400.
By midday, 104 people had been rescued, and it was revealed that the boat had departed from Libya. The majority of the migrants were believed to originate from Egypt, Syria, and Pakistan.
Search and rescue efforts persisted throughout the day and night, with military aircraft using flares to illuminate the Mediterranean waters near the site of the tragedy, located approximately 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Pylos, a coastal town in southern Greece.
Surviving migrants were transported to the Greek port of Kalamata near Pylos, where they received medical attention and temporary shelter.
According to the Greek coast guard, they had approached the vessel earlier and offered assistance, but the migrants on the outer deck declined help, expressing their desire to continue the journey. However, a few hours later, the vessel began to capsize and eventually sank around 2 am on Wednesday.
In response to the devastating event, the Greek caretaker administration declared three days of national mourning.
This shipwreck stands as one of the deadliest incidents off the Greek coast in recent years, with the most recent major incident occurring in February when 96 people lost their lives after their boat collided with rocks on Italy’s Calabrian coast during a storm.
Greece has been a significant entry point into the European Union for refugees and migrants from various regions. Stricter controls at migrant camps have pushed more people to undertake longer and riskier sea journeys from Turkey to Italy via Greece.
The Greek migration ministry attributed the endangerment of migrants’ lives to international smuggling networks, while the UN High Commissioner for Refugees called upon governments to collaborate in establishing safe pathways for those fleeing poverty and conflict.