The search for hundreds of people reported missing after a shipwreck off the Greek coast continues this Thursday, as the bodies of migrants are transferred to refrigerated trucks, the international press reported.
At least 78 bodies were recovered from the sea off the southwestern coast of Greece on Tuesday night after a fishing boat full of migrants departing from Libya for Italy sank, according to the Associated Press (AP) news agency.
Searches in the southern Peloponnese region of Greece failed to find any bodies or survivors between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.
“The chance to find [mais sobreviventes] are minimal,” retired Greek Coast Guard Admiral Nikos Spanos told state television ERT.
Rescue teams have already rescued 104 passengers, including Egyptians, Syrians, Pakistanis, Afghans and Palestinians, but authorities fear hundreds more are trapped below the ship’s deck.
“The survivors are in a very difficult situation. At the moment they are in a state of shock,” Erasmia Roumana, head of the United Nations Refugee Organization (UNHCR) delegation, told the AP after meeting the rescued migrants in the port of Kalamata, in southern Greece.
“They want to get in touch with their family to say they are fine and they keep asking questions about the missing person. Many have missing friends and relatives,” Erasmia Roumana said.
Greece has declared three days of mourning and politicians have suspended campaigning ahead of June 25 general elections.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said she was “deeply saddened” by the tragedy and pledged to strengthen cooperation between the European Union (EU) and its neighbors to further tackle migrant smuggling.
However, human rights groups have argued that increased repression will push migrants and refugees to seek longer and more dangerous routes to reach safe countries.
An aerial photo of the ship before it sank released by Greek authorities showed people huddled on deck. Most were not wearing life jackets.
The Greek Coast Guard said it had been notified by Italian authorities of the fishing boat’s presence in international waters.
Greek authorities said attempts by their own boats and merchant ships to help the fishery were repeatedly rejected, with people on board insisting they intended to continue the journey to Italy.
“We are witnessing one of the greatest tragedies in the Mediterranean and the figures announced by the authorities are devastating,” said Gianluca Rocco, head of the Greek section of the World Organization for Migration (IOM).
Twenty-nine of the survivors have been hospitalized, most with symptoms of hypothermia, while eight others have been questioned by Coast Guard investigators. Greek government officials said the survivors would be transferred to a migrant reception center near Athens between now and Friday.
The location of the wreck is close to the deepest part of the Mediterranean Sea, with a depth of up to 5,200 meters, which could hinder locating the sunken ship.
IOM said initial reports suggested up to 400 people were on board. A network of activists said they received a distress call from a boat in the same area carrying 750 people.
The UN agency has recorded more than 21,000 deaths and disappearances in the Central Mediterranean since 2014.
Source: DN
