Mediterranean migrant boat disaster: Greek coastguards charged

A naval court in Greece has charged 17 coastguards over the deadliest migrant boat disaster in the Mediterranean Sea for a decade, marking a significant development in a tragedy that claimed hundreds of lives.

According to the BBC, the case stems from the sinking of the Adriana fishing vessel near Pylos on 14 June 2023, where up to 650 people were feared drowned. Only 104 survivors were rescued from a boat that had left Libya for Italy with an estimated 750 people on board.

The ongoing migrant crisis continues to devastate countries, where political instability, economic collapse, and ongoing conflicts have pushed thousands to risk dangerous sea crossings in search of safety and opportunity.

The Deputy Prosecutor of the Piraeus Naval Court has levelled serious charges against the coastguard members. The captain of the coastguard ship LS-920 faces charges of “causing a shipwreck”, leading to the deaths of at least 82 confirmed victims, with hundreds more believed to have perished.

Survivors have long claimed that Greek coastguards caused the boat to capsize during a botched towing attempt.

The charged officials include the then-Chief of the Coast Guard and the Supervisor of the National Search and Rescue Coordination Centre. They face charges of “exposing others to danger” and “dangerous interference of maritime transport”.

The legal team representing survivors welcomed the charges, calling it a “substantial development in the course of vindication of the victims”.

The court will now decide whether to proceed to a full trial. Greece maintains that its Coast Guard respects human rights and has rescued over 250,000 people at sea in the past decade.

BBC/Maghrebi.org