Tragedy Strikes as Migrant Boat Capsizes off Greece, Leaving Dozens Dead and Many MissingIn a devastating incident off the coast of Greece, a fishing boat carrying migrants capsized and sank, resulting in the loss of at least 78 lives and leaving many more feared missing. This heartbreaking event, one of the worst of its kind this year, prompted an extensive search-and-rescue operation involving coast guard, navy, and merchant vessels, as well as aerial support from a plane and a helicopter.
The boat sank overnight in international waters approximately 45 miles southwest of Greece’s southern Peloponnese peninsula, near one of the Mediterranean Sea’s deepest areas. So far, authorities have managed to rescue 104 individuals, but it remains unclear how many passengers may still be in the water or trapped within the sunken vessel. Initial reports suggested that hundreds of people might have been onboard.
Four survivors were immediately rushed to the hospital due to symptoms of hypothermia, while dozens of others received shelter and assistance from the ambulance services and the United Nations Refugee Agency at designated areas in the southern port of Kalamata. The Greek coast guard has confirmed the recovery of 78 bodies, indicating the magnitude of the tragedy.
The ill-fated boat is believed to have departed from the Tobruk area in eastern Libya, a country plagued by instability since the NATO-backed uprising that led to the downfall and death of autocrat Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The ensuing chaos has allowed human traffickers to exploit the situation, making Libya a major departure point for migrants attempting to reach Europe via smugglers’ boats. The Italian coast guard had alerted Greek authorities and the European Union border protection agency, Frontex, about the approaching vessel prior to the incident.While initial reports from the United Nations migration agency, IOM, suggested that up to 400 people were onboard the boat, a network of activists received a distress call from another boat in the same area, claiming there were 750 passengers. However, it remains unclear whether this was the same vessel that ultimately sank, adding to the complexity of the situation.
As rescue efforts continue and the full extent of the tragedy unfolds, this heartbreaking incident serves as a grim reminder of the perilous journey many migrants undertake in their quest for a better life, and the urgent need for international cooperation to address the root causes of such migrations and prevent future disasters at sea.Send a message.
Pic Courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright
