78 Migrants Die in Aegean Sea Boat Sinking
Overview
At least 78 migrants drowned in the Aegean Sea on Wednesday when the large fishing boat carrying them sank. The boat had departed from Tobruk, Libya, and was on its way to Italy. The boat sank 50 miles southwest of the city of Pylos in southern Greece. More than 100 migrants were rescued, but the death toll is expected to rise.
Background
The sinking is the deadliest such episode off the Greek coast since 70 migrants died when a boat sank near the island of Lesbos in 2015. Last year, almost 3,800 migrants died on routes within and from the Middle East and North Africa, the highest death toll in five years. This year, the actual number of deaths on these routes is expected to be much higher, with many of those who perish remaining unidentified and their families unable to find answers.
Details of the Incident
The Greek coast guard was alerted to the fishing boat’s unusual movements on Tuesday and had deployed a large number of vessels in a “wide-ranging search and rescue operation” to reach survivors and locate the dead. The boat foundered in the Aegean Sea, and the cause of the sinking remains unclear.
Survivors’ Nationalities and Aid
The migrants were from Egypt, Pakistan, and Syria. Cargo ships in the area had given the migrants food and water, but the fishing boat had refused assistance offered by the Greek authorities. The Greek authorities have established an open-air clinic to provide first aid to survivors.
Search and Rescue Operation
The search and rescue operation continues, and the Greek president, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, is on her way to the port of Kalamata in southwestern Greece. The hope is that interviews with survivors will shed more light on the scale of the tragedy. The Greek coast guard and the military have deployed a large number of vessels in the operation to reach survivors and locate the dead.
Conclusion
The sinking of the fishing boat carrying the migrants is the deadliest such episode off the Greek coast since 2015. The tragedy highlights the continuing crisis of migrants risking their lives to reach Europe. The search and rescue operation to reach survivors and locate the dead continues.
