Survivors filed a lawsuit today, Thursday, against Greek authorities, accusing them of failing in their duty to protect the lives of those on board a migrant boat that sank off Greece in June, resulting in the deaths of hundreds. The overcrowded fishing vessel, reportedly carrying between 400 to 750 people from Pakistan, Syria, and Egypt, sank in international waters off Greece while en route from Libya to Italy. Approximately 104 men survived, while authorities only retrieved 82 bodies.
According to interviews and evidence reviewed by Reuters, survivors recounted horrific tales of their ordeal both above and below the surface, with no food or water, and a disastrous attempt by the Greek coastguard to tow the capsized boat. The Greek coastguard and government stated they had been monitoring the boat for hours and did not attempt to tow it before it capsized when they were about 70 meters away.
An investigation into the causes of the disaster is currently underway and may take more than a year to complete. A statement from the Hellenic League for Human Rights, representing the survivors, noted that 40 survivors filed a lawsuit today, claiming that "Greek authorities failed to intervene promptly and organize a suitable rescue operation in a timely manner for those on board."
They assert that the boat was "clearly unseaworthy." They also demand a "comprehensive, reliable, and immediate" investigation into the deadliest shipwreck in the Mediterranean in recent years. Lawyers representing the families of the missing have requested the authorities investigating the case to recover the wreckage from the seabed.
