On June 14, 2023, a fishing boat carrying an estimated 750 migrants sank in international waters off the coast of Pylos, Messenia, Greece. The boat, which left Tobruk, Libya, on June 10, was overcrowded and unseaworthy. It capsized in rough seas, and hundreds of people were killed.
The death toll from the tragedy is still being counted, but it is already one of the deadliest shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea in recent years. The vast majority of the victims were from Pakistan, with others from Syria, Egypt, and the Palestinian territories.
Survivor accounts indicate that women and children were forced to travel in the hold, while other nationalities were allowed on the top deck. The hold was overcrowded and unsanitary, and there was no access to fresh water.
Conditions on the boat were so bleak that even before it sank, there had already been six deaths due to dehydration.
The discrepancy is only one of a series of unanswered questions, including what prompted the vessel to capsize. Of concern are claims that it overturned in the early hours of Wednesday because a rope was attached by coastguards, allegations rejected by Greek officials.
At first, the coastguard said it had kept a “discreet distance” from the boat, but on Friday a government spokesman confirmed a rope had been thrown to “stabilise” the boat.
Maurice Stierl, of the Institute for Migration Research and Intercultural Studies at Osnabrück University in Germany, said: “The Hellenic coastguard speaks of a sudden shift in weight. So what caused the sudden shift in weight? Was there a panic on board? Did something happen during the attempt to provide them with something? Or was it towed? And due to this towing, did the boat go down?”
There are also questions over whether the Greek coastguard should have intervened earlier to escort the ageing trawler to safety. Government officials have confirmed patrol boats and cargo ships had been shadowing the trawler since Tuesday afternoon.
Some believe the failure to intervene cannot be explained by incompetence. Stierl accused many EU countries of “weaponising time” by delaying rescue as long as they can, or what he called a “phase of strategic neglect and abandonment.” He said: “They have managed to build in delays into European engagement at sea. They’re actively sort of hiding, in fact, from migrant boats, so that they are not drawn into rescue operations. We can see how a strategy is being created, that slows down –actively and consciously slows down – rescue efforts.”
The sinking of the trawler is the latest in a series of tragedies in the Mediterranean Sea. In the past year, more than 1,000 people have died attempting to cross the sea to reach Europe.
The sinking has also raised questions about the role of the Greek coastguard. Survivors have alleged that the coastguard was aware of the trawler’s distress and did not do enough to help. The coastguard has denied these allegations.
An investigation into the sinking is underway. The Greek government has said that it will hold those responsible to account.
The sinking of the trawler is a tragedy that has claimed the lives of hundreds of people. It is a reminder of the dangers that migrants face when they attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea. It is also a reminder of the need for a more humane and effective approach to the refugee crisis.
What else can be done to help prevent future tragedies?
- Increase the number of search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea.
- Crack down on human trafficking.
- Work with countries in the Middle East and Africa to address the conflicts and poverty that are driving people to flee their homes.
- Improve conditions for refugees in countries like Greece.
- Provide more funding for refugee resettlement programs.
- Raise awareness of the refugee crisis and the need for help.
In addition to these actions, we can also do the following to help prevent future tragedies:
- Support organizations that are working to help refugees.
- Contact our elected officials and urge them to take action on the refugee crisis.
- Educate ourselves about the refugee crisis and the challenges that refugees face.
- Be kind and compassionate to refugees and asylum seekers.
