Athens, Greece. Survivors of a shipwreck off the Greek island of Chios that killed 15 Afghan migrants said the dinghy did not change course or ram a coastguard vessel, contradicting the official account. Greek authorities said the vessel ignored warnings and capsized after hitting a patrol boat.
Shipwreck and official account
Fifteen people died in the shipwreck off Chios on February 3, the coastguard said. Two dozen others, including 11 minors, were rescued, some of them seriously injured, according to the coastguard.
The coastguard said last week the migrants’ boat was sailing with its navigation lights switched off and ignored a patrol vessel’s warnings to stop. It said the dinghy abruptly changed course when approached, hit the coastguard vessel and capsized.
Survivor testimonies reviewed by Reuters
Testimonies from three survivors reviewed by Reuters said the coastguard did not offer any prior warning and that the dinghy did not change course. They said they only saw the coastguard boat as it turned on its own lights shortly before impact.
“If they had chased us we would have stopped. We were on an inflatable boat with children,” one survivor said. “We were just going straight. It didn’t turn left or right.”
The coastguard did not respond to requests for comment. It has previously denied allegations of illegal practices.
Investigation and legal proceedings
Reuters said it was not able to independently verify any of the accounts. Sources close to an investigation into the incident said the camera on the coastguard vessel was not activated at the time.
Migration Minister Thanos Plevris last week praised the coastguard for the rescues and blamed the deaths on migrant smugglers. A Greek court has ordered the pre-trial detention of a Moroccan man accused of causing the crash.
Broader scrutiny of border policing
Greece’s border policing has come under scrutiny since 2015, when the country was at the frontline of Europe’s migration crisis. This includes allegations of “pushbacks,” in which the coastguard tried to force migrant boats away from Greek shores.
The EU border agency said last year it was reviewing 12 cases of potential human rights violations by Greece, including allegations that migrants seeking asylum were pushed back from Greece’s frontiers.
What questions do you have about the differing accounts of what happened off Chios?
