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

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.

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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 thatGreek authorities had left "seven to eight" children to die on a sinking raft in September 2020.

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)