Two Turkish nationals were detained on Wednesday pending trial for alleged involvement in a deadly people trafficking incident off the Greek island of Symi on August 23.
The suspects, aged 16 and 24, face charges of people smuggling after a high-speed boat chase with the Greek coastguard resulted in the death of a 39-year-old man, believed to be from Kuwait.
The Greek coastguard reported that warning shots were fired at the speedboat carrying migrants when it failed to comply with orders to stop and engaged in dangerous maneuvers. The suspects, who deny any wrongdoing, appeared before a judge on the island of Rhodes, who ordered their detention until trial. The trial date will be determined after the completion of a preliminary investigation.
In a related development, a courts-martial process is underway against the coastguard officer who fired the shots. He faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and unauthorized use of a firearm. The officer has testified that he acted independently, claiming the speedboat attempted to ram the coastguard vessel, endangering the lives of the crew.
Greece has long been a key entry point into the European Union for migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Although the number of arrivals has significantly decreased since the peak of the crisis in 2015, when nearly a million people arrived, sea crossings remain perilous, with thousands having died over the years. So far this year, approximately 18,000 migrants have reached Greece by sea.
(Source: Reuters)