Latest news with #Pylos
Arab News
6 days ago
- General
- Arab News
Greek court issues charges over 2023 migrant boat disaster
LONDON: A Greek naval court has charged 17 coast guards over one of the Mediterranean's deadliest boat disasters, which killed up to 650 migrants. The overcrowded Adriana fishing vessel capsized and sank near Pylos off the Greek coast in June 2023. Survivors told the BBC that witnesses were silenced by Greek coast guards, who had caused the Adriana to capsize by trying to tow it. Greek authorities have consistently denied the claims. Piraeus Naval Court's deputy prosecutor found that 17 members of the Hellenic Coast Guard should face criminal charges over the disaster. One survivor told the BBC on Monday: 'It has taken us two years just for these charges to come, even though so many people witnessed what happened.' Among those facing charges is the captain of the LS-920, the coast guard ship that intercepted the Adriana. The captain is accused of 'causing a shipwreck,' leading to the deaths of 'at least 82 people.' That figure represents the number of bodies recovered from the shipwreck, but it is believed that up to 500 more people died, including many women and children who were below deck. Four other officials, including the then-chief of the coast guard and the supervisor of the National Search and Rescue Coordination Center in Piraeus, were charged with 'exposing others to danger.' The LS-920 captain was also charged with 'dangerous interference of maritime transport' and a 'failure to provide assistance.' The coast guard ship's crew were charged with 'simple complicity' in all the actions allegedly committed by the captain. The Adriana, which left Libya for Italy with about 750 people on board, had been monitored by the coast guard for about 15 hours before the disaster took place. Only 104 survivors have been recorded. The BBC conducted a lengthy investigation that challenged the Greek coast guard's account of the sinking. Last year, a Greek court threw out a case against nine Egyptians allegedly tied to the disaster, amid claims that they had been scapegoated by Greek authorities. Syrian refugee Ahmad described the events to the BBC and accused the Greek coast guard of negligence. 'They attached a rope from the left,' he said. 'Everyone moved to the right side of our boat to balance it. The Greek vessel moved off quickly, causing our boat to flip. They kept dragging it for quite a distance.' Once survivors were rescued, they were ordered to 'shut up' by the official in charge of questioning, Ahmad added. The survivors, he said, were told: 'You have survived death. Stop talking about the incident. Don't ask more questions about it.' Ahmad said he is 'very happy' that the coast guards 'are eventually being held accountable for all that they have committed, but until I see them in prison nothing has been done yet.'
BBC News
26-05-2025
- BBC News
Greek coastguards charged over 2023 migrant shipwreck
A naval court in Greece has charged 17 coastguards over the deadliest migrant boat disaster in the Mediterranean Sea for a to 650 people were feared to have drowned when the overcrowded Adriana fishing vessel sank near Pylos, off the Greek coast, in the early hours of 14 June later told the BBC that Greek coastguards had caused their boat to capsize in a botched attempt to tow it and then silenced witnesses. "It has taken us two years just for these charges to come, even though so many people witnessed what happened," one of the survivors, a Syrian man we called Ahmad, said on Monday. Captain of coastguard ship charged The Greek authorities have always denied the claims against Deputy Prosecutor of the Piraeus Naval Court has found that 17 members of the Hellenic Coast Guard should face criminal them is the captain of the coastguard ship, the LS-920, who is charged with "causing a shipwreck", leading to the deaths of "at least 82 people".This corresponds to the number of bodies recovered, although it is thought as many as an additional 500 people drowned, including women and children who were all below disaster occurred in international waters - but within Greece's rescue then-Chief of the Coast Guard and the Supervisor of the National Search and Rescue Coordination Centre in Piraeus are among four officials charged with "exposing others to danger". The captain of the LS-920 is also charged with "dangerous interference of maritime transport" as well as a "failure to provide assistance" to the migrant crew of the ship are charged for "simple complicity" in all the acts allegedly committed by the captain. Doubts over Greek officials' account A coastguard ship had been monitoring the Adriana for 15 hours before it had left Libya for Italy with an estimated 750 people on board. Only 104 of them are known to have been investigating since the day of the disaster and our series of findings has cast serious doubt on the official Greek version of a week, we obtained shipping data which challenged the claim the migrant boat had not in trouble and so did not need to be rescued. A month later, survivors told us the coastguard had caused their boat to sink in a disastrous effort to tow it and then forced witnessed to stay silent. Last year, a case against nine Egyptians was thrown out, amid claims they had been scapegoated by the Greek authorities. Earlier this year, audio recordings emerged which further challenged the official Greek version of events. Syrian survivors feel 'vindicated' We first met Syrian refugees, who we called Ahmad and Musaab to protect their identities, a month after the said they each paid $4,500 (£3,480) for a spot on the younger brother was also on board and did not described to us the moment when - he alleged - the Greek coastguards caused their boat to sink."They attached a rope from the left," he said. "Everyone moved to the right side of our boat to balance it. The Greek vessel moved off quickly causing our boat to flip. They kept dragging it for quite a distance."The men claimed that once on land, in the port of Kalamata, the coastguard told survivors to "shut up" when they started to talk about how the Greek authorities had caused the disaster."When people replied by saying the Greek coastguard was the cause, the official in charge of the questioning asked the interpreter to tell the interviewee to stop talking," Ahmad said officials shouted: "You have survived death. Stop talking about the incident Don't ask more questions about it."Today Ahmad - who is now living in Germany - said he felt vindicated by the charges that had been brought. "I'm very happy they are eventually being held accountable for all that they have committed, but until I see them in prison nothing has been done yet," he said. "To be honest, the Greek legal system is very unreliable." Legal team for victims welcome charges The joint legal team representing survivors and victims of the disaster said the decision to pursue a case against the 17 coastguards was a big step forward towards justice being a statement it said: "Almost two years after the Pylos shipwreck, the prosecution and referral to main investigation for felonies of 17 members of the Coast Guard, including senior officers of its leadership, constitutes a substantial and self-evident development in the course of vindication of the victims and the delivery of justice."It is understood the 17 men who have now been charged will be questioned in the coming weeks by the Deputy Prosecutor of the Piraeus Naval court will then decide whether to send them to full trial or dismiss the is not immediately clear what punishment the coastguards could receive if found has previously told the BBC its Coast Guard fully respects human rights and has rescued more than 250,000 people at sea in the past decade.
Arab News
23-05-2025
- Arab News
Greek court charges 17 coast guard officers over 2023 migrant shipwreck, say sources
ATHENS: A Greek naval court has charged 17 coast guard officers over one of the Mediterranean's worst shipwrecks two years ago, in which hundreds of people are believed to have drowned, three sources said on Friday. The shipwreck of an overloaded migrant boat in international waters off the southwestern Greek town of Pylos on June 14, 2023, sent shockwaves across Europe and beyond. The naval court is still investigating the circumstances around the incident. A coast guard vessel had been monitoring the boat, named Adriana, for 15 hours before it capsized and sank. It had left Libya for Italy with about 750 people on board. Only 104 of them are known to have survived. Greek coast guard authorities have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing over the handling of the case. Three legal sources said the 17 coast guard officers would be summoned by a judge to respond to accusations ranging from obstructing transport to causing or helping cause a shipwreck. Contacted by Reuters, a Greek coast guard official said the service had not been officially informed about the charges and had asked to be briefed by the naval court. Greece's judicial system has several preparatory stages and the compilation of charges does not necessarily mean that an individual will face trial. Human rights activists and other protesters plan rallies across Greece on June 21 to mark the second anniversary of the Pylos shipwreck. In February, the Greek Ombudsman recommended disciplinary action against eight coast guard officers, the first national probe into the incident to conclude. Greece says that the coast guard operates with respect to human rights and that it has rescued more than 250,000 people since 2015, when the country was at the frontline of Europe's migration crisis.
Free Malaysia Today
23-05-2025
- Free Malaysia Today
Greek court charges 17 coast guard officers over 2023 migrant shipwreck
The overloaded migrant boat had left Libya for Italy with about 750 people on board. Only 104 of them are known to have survived. (AP pic). ATHENS : A Greek naval court has charged 17 coast guard officers over one of the Mediterranean's worst shipwrecks two years ago, in which hundreds of people are believed to have drowned, three sources said today. The shipwreck of an overloaded migrant boat in international waters off the southwestern Greek town of Pylos on June 14, 2023, sent shockwaves across Europe and beyond. The naval court is still investigating the circumstances around the incident. A coast guard vessel had been monitoring the boat, named Adriana, for 15 hours before it capsized and sank. It had left Libya for Italy with about 750 people on board. Only 104 of them are known to have survived. Greek coast guard authorities have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing over the handling of the case. Three legal sources said the 17 coast guard officers would be summoned by a judge to respond to accusations ranging from obstructing transport to causing or helping cause a shipwreck. Contacted by Reuters, a Greek coast guard official said the service had not been officially informed about the charges and had asked to be briefed by the naval court. Greece's judicial system has several preparatory stages and the compilation of charges does not necessarily mean that an individual will face trial. Human rights activists and other protesters plan rallies across Greece on June 21 to mark the second anniversary of the Pylos shipwreck. In February, the Greek Ombudsman recommended disciplinary action against eight coast guard officers, the first national probe into the incident to conclude. Greece says that the coast guard operates with respect to human rights and that it has rescued more than 250,000 people since 2015, when the country was at the frontline of Europe's migration crisis.
Reuters
23-05-2025
- Reuters
Greek court charges 17 coast guard officers over 2023 migrant shipwreck, say sources
ATHENS, May 23 (Reuters) - A Greek naval court has charged 17 coast guard officers over one of the Mediterranean's worst shipwrecks two years ago, in which hundreds of people are believed to have drowned, three sources said on Friday. The shipwreck of an overloaded migrant boat in international waters off the southwestern Greek town of Pylos on June 14, 2023, sent shockwaves across Europe and beyond. The naval court is still investigating the circumstances around the incident. A coast guard vessel had been monitoring the boat, named Adriana, for 15 hours before it capsized and sank. It had left Libya for Italy with about 750 people on board. Only 104 of them are known to have survived. Greek coast guard authorities have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing over the handling of the case. Three legal sources said the 17 coast guard officers would be summoned by a judge to respond to accusations ranging from obstructing transport to causing or helping cause a shipwreck. Contacted by Reuters, a Greek coast guard official said the service had not been officially informed about the charges and had asked to be briefed by the naval court. Greece's judicial system has several preparatory stages and the compilation of charges does not necessarily mean that an individual will face trial. Human rights activists and other protesters plan rallies across Greece on June 21 to mark the second anniversary of the Pylos shipwreck. In February, the Greek Ombudsman recommended disciplinary action against eight coast guard officers, the first national probe into the incident to conclude. Greece says that the coast guard operates with respect to human rights and that it has rescued more than 250,000 people since 2015, when the country was at the frontline of Europe's migration crisis.
