In court on Tuesday, nine men faced charges related to the tragic shipwreck in the Mediterranean, which claimed the lives of at least 82 people and is considered the worst incident of its kind this year. Denying any wrongdoing, the suspects appeared before a prosecutor in Greece, while the European Union announced its commitment to providing additional funds and taking action on migration.
Amid growing scrutiny of Greece's response to the June 12-13 disaster, search efforts are ongoing in the wider area. However, the chances of finding more survivors are exceedingly slim. The fishing boat, estimated to be between 20 and 30 meters long, capsized off Greece's southwest coast in deep Mediterranean waters. It had embarked on a journey from Libya to Italy and was believed to be carrying up to 700 migrants from Egypt, Syria, and Pakistan. So far, only 104 individuals have been rescued. On Monday and Tuesday, the coast guard recovered three more bodies, revising the death toll to 82, with hundreds more feared dead.
The accused, all Egyptian nationals aged between 20 and 40 years, face charges including manslaughter, organizing a criminal group, migrant smuggling, and causing a shipwreck. During the court proceedings, they vehemently denied any culpability.
According to state broadcaster ERT, one of the defence lawyers argued that his client was not a smuggler but rather a victim seeking a better life in Europe, having paid for the journey to Italy.
The vessel, an aging boat, was believed to have departed from Egypt and subsequently picked up passengers in the Libyan city of Tobruk on June 10 before setting sail for Italy. Survivors revealed that they each paid $4,500 for the voyage, as reported by Greek authorities.
Italy alerted Greece about the boat's presence within its search and rescue jurisdiction on June 12. The vessel had been approached by merchant ships and shadowed by the Greek coast guard for several hours before it capsized and sank.
The exact circumstances surrounding the sinking, despite the presence of the coast guard, remain unclear. Survivors, who were summoned for additional testimonies, reportedly stated for the first time that the coast guard attempted to tow their vessel, as per Kathimerini newspaper. Greek authorities have refuted claims that the boat flipped due to the coast guard's towing efforts, asserting that the boat had repeatedly declined Greek assistance, expressing their intention to reach Italy.
