On Wednesday, the 14th of June, a fishing boat carrying hundreds of migrants from Libya to Italy overturned off the coast of Greece, resulting in the deaths of 78 people and the rescue of 104 passengers. The Greek coast guard arrested nine people for allegedly being part of a people smuggling ring. The incident has reignited the debate surrounding Europe’s migrant crisis and has been met with worldwide condemnation. The Pope, UN Human Rights Office, and European Commissioner for Home Affairs have all expressed their sorrow and anger over the tragedy and have called for search and rescue operations and justice for those facilitating people smuggling. It is believed that the number of migrant boats attempting to cross from Libya to Europe has significantly risen this year.
The Greek Coast Guard has been accused by activists of “strategic neglect and abandonment” and of ‘horrible and systematic pushback practices.’ Evidence suggests that the coastguard had attempted to board the boat but was turned away and that the boat had been swaying for seven hours before sinking due to the coastguard trying to attach a rope to tow the boat. The Greek government has denied these claims. However, survivors’ testimonies and accounts from activists suggest otherwise. A BBC analysis found that the boat did not move for seven hours, raising questions about the official story. Frontex released a statement saying that they had alerted the Greek and Italian authorities after spotting the vessel, but the Greek officials declined their offer of additional help. No Frontex vessels or planes were present during the capsizing on Wednesday.
Human rights campaigners have accused Greek authorities of neglecting the people on board. Six people died from dehydration before the boat sunk, and no women or children have been reported as among the survivors. The boat was carrying 400 Pakistani nationals, with reports suggesting that many were maltreated and forced to stay in the hold. The Pakistani Ministry of foreign affairs has confirmed that only 12 of the 78 survivors were from Pakistan.
Daniel Gorevan from Save the Children has warned that the EU member states’ extreme measures to prevent children and their families from seeking safety have resulted in dangerous journeys at sea, leading to the death of many people. This is an alarming situation that needs to be addressed by EU governments. The IOM and UNHCR urged the international community to take urgent action to save lives in the Mediterranean and to uphold the responsibility to rescue those in distress at sea. They highlighted the need to prevent further loss of life in search and rescue operations.
The UN has called for an independent investigation into the incident in Greece, but the European Union and European Commission have declined to launch one, despite pressure from international organisations. The Agency has sent EU officials for Fundamental Rights and Frontex to observe the Search & Rescue challenges but does not have the investigative powers to launch a probe.
Greece is facing growing pressure from the EU to address the refugee and migrant crisis, which has been aggravated by the influx of refugees from the Middle East, Asia and Africa seeking asylum. The number of arrivals to the Mediterranean region of Europe has grown significantly over the past five years, with a record of 66,000 people arriving between January and May this year. Libya has been a significant source of illegal immigration to Europe due to the people-smuggling networks controlled by the military.
European countries have failed to protect refugees in Europe, resulting in many deaths. The global community must unite and ensure that all individuals’ human rights are respected to prevent further loss of life.SAR (Search and Rescue) Regulations, recently implemented by the EU, require vessels to take migrants in danger on board and disembark them at secure locations. Additionally, Member States are responsible for coordinating and funding search and rescue operations and setting up sea rescue systems. Greece must be held accountable for its actions in the migrant drowning. All those responsible for the incident must be brought to justice.
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