LONDON: The sinking of a migrant boat off Greece may have been caused by the towing of the boat by the country’s coast guard, a new independent investigation has suggested.
The incident on June 14 left about 500 people missing after a fishing trawler carrying hundreds of people sank on a journey from Libya to Italy off the Greek coast. Following rescue operations, 104 people from the vessel were transported to Greece.
But a joint investigation by The Guardian, German broadcaster ARD/NDR/Funk, Greek media outlet Solomon and Berlin research agency Forensis has unearthed new evidence surrounding the incident, suggesting inconsistencies in the account of the Greek coast guard.
Using a 3D model of the boat’s journey based on survivor accounts, the investigation argued that the trawler had been towed, contrary to claims by the coast guard.
The probe added that a coast guard vessel moored at a closer port to the fishing trawler had failed to move to the incident, and that Greek authorities had thrice failed to respond to offers of assistance from EU border and coast guard agency Frontex.
The investigation also used data from the Greek coast guard’s log as well as survivor testimony, flight and maritime data, satellite imagery and eyewitness videos.
One key discrepancy between the coast guard and survivor accounts concerns the fishing vessel’s sudden move westward.
The official coast guard account described the vessel as having shifted direction of its own accord, but the investigation argued that the Greek rescue boat had reached the trawler at the time it had changed direction, suggesting that a tow had been attached. Multiple survivors also said the coast guard had told migrants they were being led westward.
Other survivors, who were below deck on the fishing trawler, described a reported second towing event, after the vessel had sat stationary for an hour.
Though the boat’s engine had been turned off, the trawler moved forward “like a rocket,” survivors said, which the investigation said stands as further evidence of a towing attempt.
“I feel that they have tried to push us out of Greek water so that their responsibility ends,” one survivor said.
Greek Council for Refugees lawyer Maria Papamina, who is representing a group of survivors, said the coast guard had made two towing attempts, according to survivor testimony that was presented to prosecutors.
The coast guard vessel that was present during the incident, named 920, was 90 percent financed by the EU as part of a scheme to improve border operations.
The vessel features thermal cameras to record operations, but they failed to record any video of the incident, with the crew saying their focus was on the rescue.
The Greek account also said no search and rescue operation was initially conducted for the fishing trawler because the boat’s crew had refused assistance.
Both the coast guard and Frontex had previously photographed the trawler before the rescue attempt and sinking.
Following the incident, nine Egyptian citizens on the trawler were arrested on charges including involuntary manslaughter.
Almost half of the 750 people estimated to have been on the trawler came from Pakistan, with the North Africa-Italy journey emerging as a popular route for people smugglers.
Ahmed Farouq, the father of a victim, said the Greek coast guard was responsible for the sinking.
He said: “They wanted it to sink. Why didn’t they save the people first? If they don’t want illegal migrants, let them deport us, but don’t let us drown.”
