BBC investigation ‘casts doubt’ over Greek coastguard’s account of migrant shipwreck

LONDON: The BBC has uncovered evidence it claims calls into question a Greek coastguard’s account of the recent migrant shipwreck in which hundreds are thought to have died.

Greek officials initially claimed that between 5:40 p.m. and 10.40 p.m. GMT on Tuesday, the boat maintained a “steady course and speed” to Italy.

The coastguard claimed that during these hours, no one was in danger or in need of rescue, the BBC reported on Sunday.

However, based on the movement of other ships in that area, the overcrowded fishing boat was not moving for at least seven hours before it capsized, the broadcaster claimed.

Frontex, the EU’s border force, reportedly said it first spotted the migrant boat at around 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday and notified Greek authorities.

Alarm Phone, an emergency hotline for migrants in trouble at sea, said it received a distress call from migrants on the boat at 12:17 p.m.

The BBC obtained computer tracking data provided by MarineTraffic, a maritime analytics platform, on the movement of other ships in the area.

A ship called the Lucky Sailor confirmed it had been asked by the coastguard to approach the migrant boat and provide food and water.

A coastguard helicopter located the migrant boat about half an hour later, at 3:35 p.m. Authorities have maintained that it was on a steady course at the time.

However, at about 6:00 p.m., another vessel, the Faithful Warrior, arrived at the same spot and delivered supplies to the boat.

Throughout these seven hours before the boat sank, Greek officials insisted that the fishing vessel was not in danger and was instead securely on its way to Italy; thus, the coastguard did not attempt a rescue.

All the shipping activity in these hours was concentrated around one specific spot, indicating that the migrant boat had barely moved, the BBC reported.

A government spokesperson later said the coastguard had attempted to board the boat to assess the danger but that migrants on board pulled a rope that had been attached and refused rescue.

At 11:00 p.m., the boat sank with hundreds on board. The tracking animation shows a frenzy of ships rushing to the rescue, the BBC reported.

The Mayan Queen, a luxury yacht, was then sent to assist in bringing some of the 104 survivors ashore.

Those rescued arrived safely at the port of Kalamata, but the ordeal has prompted serious questions about the Greek response.

The UN has asked for a probe into Greece’s handling of the disaster amid claims that greater action should have been taken earlier to launch a full-scale rescue operation.

Greek authorities have not yet responded to the BBC’s claims.