<p>Greek authorities have been accused of pushing asylum seekers and migrants to their deaths in the Mediterranean Sea over the last three years, according to an investigation by UK broadcaster BBC. The report, based on statements by witnesses, reveals more than 40 people have died following illegal pushbacks by Greek coastguard from Greek islands or waters. In a few cases, migrants were thrown in water allegedly with their hands tied, the report claimed.</p>

<h2><strong>Migrants put on punctured rafts</strong></h2>

<p>BBC analysed 15 such incidents that took place between May 2020 and 2023 that ended up killing 43 people in and around Greek waters.</p>

<p>It found that migrants were directly thrown into the sea in at least five incidents. In four cases, the migrants were put on punctured and sinking inflatable rafts without motors.</p>

<p>"They wanted me to die,” BBC quoted a Somalian man who was caught by Greek authorities on the island of Chios as saying. “They threw me zip-tied in the middle of the sea," he added.</p>

<p>A Syrian man, Mohamed, told the broadcaster that&nbsp;Greek authorities had left "seven to eight" children to die on a sinking raft in September 2020.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwj-tdLJxOKGAxXLb2wGHWBaC484ChDF9AEoAHoECAcQAQ" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exclusive-greece-wants-to-be-the-gateway-of-india-into-europe-minister-tells-wion-692892" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/exclusive-greece-wants-to-be-the-gateway-of-india-into-europe-minister-tells-wion-692892&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj-tdLJxOKGAxXLb2wGHWBaC484ChDF9AEoAHoECAcQAQ">Exclusive: Greece wants to be the gateway of India into Europe, minister tells WION</a></strong></p>

<p>Mohamed himself was dropped in Turkish waters after being put in life rafts, only to discover later that the raft was sinking as its valve was not closed properly.</p>

<p>“They heard us all screaming, and yet they still left us,” he was quoted as saying by BBC.</p>

<p>“The first child who died was my cousin’s son… After that it was one by one. Another child, another child, then my cousin himself disappeared. By the morning seven or eight children had died.</p>

<p>“My kids didn’t die until the morning… right before the Turkish coastguard arrived.”</p>

<h2><strong>Undercover agents</strong></h2>

<p>Migrants are legally entitled to seek asylum in Greece, and special centres have been erected on several Greek islands to help migrants register their claims.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Greece migrant boat tragedy: A survivor's tale of 2023 boat disaster</strong></p>

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<p>However, in the incidents analysed by BBC, all of the migrants were caught before they could reach these special centres by non-uniformed, masked and apparently undercover agents.</p>

<h2><strong>Response by Greek Coastguard</strong></h2>

<p>Greek Coastguard has vehemently denied these claims. It highlighted how it rescued 250,834 refugees/migrants in 6,161 incidents at sea in the past nine years.</p>

<p>“It should be highlighted that from 2015 to 2024, the Hellenic Coast Guard has rescued 250,834 refugees/migrants in 6,161 incidents at sea. The impeccable execution of this noble mission has been positively recognised by the international community,” the coastguard said in a statement.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Greek authorities have been accused of pushing asylum seekers and migrants to their deaths in the Mediterranean Sea over the last three years, according to an investigation by UK broadcaster BBC.

Greek authorities have been accused of pushing asylum seekers and migrants to their deaths in the Mediterranean Sea over the last three years, according to an investigation by UK broadcaster BBC. The report, based on statements by witnesses, reveals more than 40 people have died following illegal pushbacks by Greek coastguard from Greek islands or waters. In a few cases, migrants were thrown in water allegedly with their hands tied, the report claimed. Migrants put on punctured rafts BBC analysed 15 such incidents that took place between May 2020 and 2023 that ended up killing 43 people in and around Greek waters. It found that migrants were directly thrown into the sea in at least five incidents. In four cases, the migrants were put on punctured and sinking inflatable rafts without motors. "They wanted me to die,” BBC quoted a Somalian man who was caught by Greek authorities on the island of Chios as saying. “They threw me zip-tied in the middle of the sea," he added. A Syrian man, Mohamed, told the broadcaster that Greek authorities had left "seven to eight" children to die on a sinking raft in September 2020. Also read: Exclusive: Greece wants to be the gateway of India into Europe, minister tells WION Mohamed himself was dropped in Turkish waters after being put in life rafts, only to discover later that the raft was sinking as its valve was not closed properly. “They heard us all screaming, and yet they still left us,” he was quoted as saying by BBC. “The first child who died was my cousin’s son… After that it was one by one. Another child, another child, then my cousin himself disappeared. By the morning seven or eight children had died. “My kids didn’t die until the morning… right before the Turkish coastguard arrived.” Undercover agents Migrants are legally entitled to seek asylum in Greece, and special centres have been erected on several Greek islands to help migrants register their claims. Watch: Greece migrant boat tragedy: A survivor's tale of 2023 boat disaster × However, in the incidents analysed by BBC, all of the migrants were caught before they could reach these special centres by non-uniformed, masked and apparently undercover agents. Response by Greek Coastguard Greek Coastguard has vehemently denied these claims. It highlighted how it rescued 250,834 refugees/migrants in 6,161 incidents at sea in the past nine years. “It should be highlighted that from 2015 to 2024, the Hellenic Coast Guard has rescued 250,834 refugees/migrants in 6,161 incidents at sea. The impeccable execution of this noble mission has been positively recognised by the international community,” the coastguard said in a statement. (With inputs from agencies)

Greek coastguard threw migrants into sea after tying their hands: Report

<p>A new investigation has revealed that the Greek coastguard's attempts to&nbsp;tow a fishing trawler with hundreds of migrants may have resulted in the trawler sinking. The investigation has been conducted by the Guardian and its media partners. The sinking of the trawler left an estimated 500 people missing. The investigation has raised further questions about the incident.</p>

<p>The trawler was carrying migrants from Libya to Italy and sank off the coast of Greece on June 14. The tragedy left 104 survivors but hundreds more went missing.</p>

<p>The Guardian said that interviews with 20 survivors were carried out. The investigation also drew on court documents and coastguard sources to build a picture of rescue opportunities that were missed and offers of assistance that were ignored. Multiple survivors said that attempts by the Greek coastguard to tow the migrant vessel caused it to sink.</p>

<p>Greek coastguard has assertively denied any attempt to tow the trawler.</p>

<p>Forensis, a Berlin-based research agency founded by Forensic Architecture, recreated the night of the tragedy using an interactive 3D model of the boat</p>

<p>The joint investigation by The Guardian, German public broadcaster ARD/NDR/Funk and Greek investigative outlet Solomon happened in collaboration with Forensis. The investigation has reportedly found new evidence, such as a coastguard vessel moored at a port close by was never sent to the scene of the tragedy. It has also been reportedly found that Greek authorities failed not two but three times to offer help by Frontex, the EU border and coastguard agency.</p>

<p>Forensis made use of data from the coastguard's log and the testimony of the coastguard vessel captain along with flight paths, maritime traffic data, images from satellites and other videos. It mapped the last few hours before the sinking of the vessel.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/greece-boat-tragedy-pakistanis-were-singled-out-to-go-below-deck-says-report-606011">Greece boat tragedy: Pakistanis were singled out to go below deck, says report</a></strong></p>

<p>The investigation has reportedly found that the ship's last movements are in contradiction with the information from the coastguard. It reveals inconsistencies in the official account of events.</p>

<p>More importantly, Guardian said it was found that the overcrowded trawler started moving westward after meeting a single Greek coastguard vessel that was sent to the scene.</p>

<h2><strong>Contradicting info</strong></h2>

<p>Multiple survivor testimonies have revealed to the Guardian and Greek prosecutors that the Greek coastguard told the migrants that they will be led to Italy. This contradicts with Greek coastguard's official version that the trawler started moving west on its own. The investigation has also revealed that the trawler had turned to the south and was stationary for an hour before the second towing attempt took place. This proved to be fatal.</p>

<p>Guardian quoted a survivor who said that the trawler was towed for 10 minutes by the Greeks following which it sank.</p>

<p>“I feel that they have tried to push us out of Greek water so that their responsibility ends,” the survivor said as quoted by the Guardian.</p>

<p>You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form"><strong>here</strong></a>.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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A new investigation has revealed that the Greek coastguard's attempts to tow a fishing trawler with hundreds of migrants may have resulted in the trawler sinking.

A new investigation has revealed that the Greek coastguard's attempts to tow a fishing trawler with hundreds of migrants may have resulted in the trawler sinking. The investigation has been conducted by the Guardian and its media partners. The sinking of the trawler left an estimated 500 people missing. The investigation has raised further questions about the incident. The trawler was carrying migrants from Libya to Italy and sank off the coast of Greece on June 14. The tragedy left 104 survivors but hundreds more went missing. The Guardian said that interviews with 20 survivors were carried out. The investigation also drew on court documents and coastguard sources to build a picture of rescue opportunities that were missed and offers of assistance that were ignored. Multiple survivors said that attempts by the Greek coastguard to tow the migrant vessel caused it to sink. Greek coastguard has assertively denied any attempt to tow the trawler. Forensis, a Berlin-based research agency founded by Forensic Architecture, recreated the night of the tragedy using an interactive 3D model of the boat The joint investigation by The Guardian, German public broadcaster ARD/NDR/Funk and Greek investigative outlet Solomon happened in collaboration with Forensis. The investigation has reportedly found new evidence, such as a coastguard vessel moored at a port close by was never sent to the scene of the tragedy. It has also been reportedly found that Greek authorities failed not two but three times to offer help by Frontex, the EU border and coastguard agency. Forensis made use of data from the coastguard's log and the testimony of the coastguard vessel captain along with flight paths, maritime traffic data, images from satellites and other videos. It mapped the last few hours before the sinking of the vessel. Also Read | Greece boat tragedy: Pakistanis were singled out to go below deck, says report The investigation has reportedly found that the ship's last movements are in contradiction with the information from the coastguard. It reveals inconsistencies in the official account of events. More importantly, Guardian said it was found that the overcrowded trawler started moving westward after meeting a single Greek coastguard vessel that was sent to the scene. Contradicting info Multiple survivor testimonies have revealed to the Guardian and Greek prosecutors that the Greek coastguard told the migrants that they will be led to Italy. This contradicts with Greek coastguard's official version that the trawler started moving west on its own. The investigation has also revealed that the trawler had turned to the south and was stationary for an hour before the second towing attempt took place. This proved to be fatal. Guardian quoted a survivor who said that the trawler was towed for 10 minutes by the Greeks following which it sank. “I feel that they have tried to push us out of Greek water so that their responsibility ends,” the survivor said as quoted by the Guardian. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Investigation into Greek shipwreck suggests coastguard responsible for sinking: Report

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Greek coastguard threw migrants into sea after tying their hands: Report

Investigation into Greek shipwreck suggests coastguard responsible for sinking: Report