London: Given the conflicting accounts of the tragedy from survivors and Greek authorities, human rights organisations said on Thursday that an investigation into the sinking of a vessel off the coast of Greece in which hundreds of migrants perished is urgently needed.
On June 14, a fishing boat close to Pylos in the Ionian Sea capsized with an estimated 750 people on board. Only 104 individuals were saved. Egyptians, Syrians, Palestinians, and Afghans were among them.
The boat swayed and eventually capsized, according to survivors, while being towed by a Hellenic Coast Guard rescue vessel. This accusation is refuted by Greek authorities.
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Additionally, they dispute claims that those on board ignored pleas for help, claiming that all the migrants did was ask for food and water, declare their intention to travel to Italy, and reject the coast guard's rescue ropes.
Between July 4 and July 13, delegations from the nongovernmental organisations Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International visited Greece to look into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. They spoke with 19 survivors, four missing person's family members, representatives of other NGOs, the UN, and other international organisations, as well as members of the Greek police and coast guard.
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"The discrepancies between survivors' accounts of the Pylos shipwreck and the government's version of events are extremely worrying," said Judith Sunderland, associate director of Human Rights Watch for Europe and Central Asia.
In order to provide survivors and families of the victims with the truth and justice they deserve and to hold those responsible accountable, the Greek authorities should make sure there is a transparent investigation.
Greek authorities have opened two criminal investigations, one into the alleged people smugglers who are believed to have organised the trip and another into the actions of the coast guard, which the rights organisations have stated must "comply with international human rights standards of impartiality, independence, and effectiveness."
Frontex, the EU's border agency, has come under fire for failing to adequately address the incident, and European authorities have demanded an investigation.
European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson recently stated, "There is an urgent need for a thorough, transparent, and effective investigation, and I agree that this is important for many reasons, not least for the Greek reputation."
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have urged Brussels to review its migrant policies and stated that they will continue to conduct their own investigations.
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A thorough official investigation should aim to "clarify any responsibility for both the ship's sinking and delays or shortcomings in the rescue efforts that may have contributed to the appalling loss of life," they claimed.
"This preventable tragedy demonstrates the failure of EU migration policies predicated on the racialized exclusion of people on the move and deadly deterrence," continued Esther Major, Amnesty's senior research advisor for Europe.
"The EU should reorient its border policies towards rescue at sea and safe and legal routes for asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants," the statement reads. "To ensure that this is the last, and not the latest, in an unconscionably long list of tragedies in the Mediterranean."
