- Egyptians detained after shipwreck
- Accuse Greek Coast Guard
- Legal trial pending
Saeed is unable to comprehend his incarceration in Avlona prison, located northeast of Athens, the capital of Greece.
“My response to anyone who inquires as to why you are incarcerated is that I have no idea,” the Egyptian 24-year-old stated. “As infants, we are filled with terror. The sentence we will receive is either one thousand or four hundred years in prison. We perish each time they utter that phrase.”
He is one of nine Egyptians held in pre-trial confinement on criminal charges related to a shipwreck that occurred last year near the town of Pylos. The incident claimed the lives of hundreds of individuals who were attempting to reach Europe.
Greek law accuses the group of conspiring to establish a criminal organisation, aiding and abetting unauthorised entry, and instigating a maritime disaster.
They are the only individuals retained as a result of the shipwreck.
Nonetheless, each of the nine defendants asserts they were not involved in the smuggling operation’s organisation or financial gain.
They claim to have been mere survivors among the passengers and accuse the Greek Coast Guard of being responsible for the overcrowded vessel’s capsize.
From detention, they called and notified its companions that the Greek prosecution distorted their testimony and forced them to sign documents they didn’t understand. They further claimed that the testimony was not taken seriously.
Additionally, two distinct survivors asserted that the nine defendants were not culpable and placed the onus on the Hellenic Coast Guard as a whole.
Victims or Culprits: A Tragic Voyage
The nine defendants, who consist of fathers, employees, and students, stated that they paid a smuggler or an associate between 140,000 and 150,000 Egyptian pounds (£4,500 and £4,900) to board the condemned vessel.
“I can confirm that I am the individual who paid 140,000 Egyptian pounds,” said Magdy, an additional defendant. “I will have approximately seven, eight, or nine thousand euros if I load these individuals onto the vessel. A total of 20,000 euros. Why would I ever consider boarding such a vessel?”
A smuggler disclosed in 2022 that he earns approximately 120,000 Egyptian pounds (£3,900) from Egyptians. Recent research indicates that individuals departing from Syria frequently fork over approximately $6,500 (approximately €6,000) for such travel.
According to the two additional Syrian survivors, they had given money to individuals other than the Egyptians in question. They claimed that the nine individuals being detained were not involved in smuggling.
“No. They had nothing to blame for,” Ahmed stated.
The Adriana capsized on June 14 of last year, carrying an estimated 700-750 passengers, including minors, Syrians, Pakistanis, Afghans, and Palestinians. The diverse passenger list included Egyptians, Syrians, Pakistanis, and Afghans. Five days prior, the derelict blue fishing trawler had set sail from Libya.
As 104 of the 104 survivors remained on board, hundreds perished in one of the deadliest refugee boat disasters ever documented in the Mediterranean.
Some survivors, rights organisations, and activists assert that Greek Coast Guard personnel failed in their responsibility to save lives at sea.
Chaos and Accusations at Sea
Ahmed reported spotting the nine suspects amidst the panicked passengers and the ship’s impending capsize, which caused the vessel to appear to be sinking.
“They had just begun to direct passengers when our vessel began to sway. They were yelling for assistance in steadying the vessel,” he explained.
According to seven of the defendants, they observed a Coast Guard patrol vessel affix a rope to the fishing trawler. The Greek authorities allegedly executed one and then two pulls, which resulted in the vessel overturning into the Mediterranean.
“I observed that the Greek vessel was secured to the centre of the vessel by a single thick blue rope,” stated Fathy, an additional defendant. “As they continued to pull, the boat leaned to one side; when they noticed the lean, they continued to steer; consequently, the boat was inverted.”
Greece towed and capsized us with a Greek vessel; they also murdered our comrades and companions; I now look at myself and see that I am incarcerated.
Two of the defendants stated they were in the hold and did not comprehend what had transpired. They boarded the Greek Coast Guard vessel subsequent to the catastrophe.
Two Syrian survivors reported that they observed the fishing trawler being towed by the Greek Coast Guard.
“They were not responsible for the vessel’s sinking.” Mohammad stated, “That is evident, the Egyptians are being held.”
Blame and Defense Amid Tragedy
“You must adhere to logic. Large in size, it probably would not have capsized had it not been for human intervention. Despite the damaged engine, the vessel could have maintained its buoyancy. In reality, the Greek Coast Guard is to blame for the shipwreck.
“Absolute respect for human life and human rights” was stated by the Hellenic Coast Guard in denial of the allegations.
“Where necessary, however, appropriate control mechanisms shall be implemented in collaboration with the legal authorities and other relevant bodies.”
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The coast guard’s official statements initially made no mention of any rope-related incident. A spokesperson for the organisation, Nikos Alexiou, refuted the rope-related reports.
Later, Alexiou issued a statement claiming that the two vessels were “fastened with ropes to impede their drifting,” in contrast to the escalating testimonies from survivors.
Also an ongoing naval court investigation in Kalamata tries to determine Hellenic Coast Guard search and rescue efficacy.
“It appears that the Greek authorities failed to timely declare a search and rescue operation and deploy a sufficient number of appropriate assets in time to rescue the migrants,” according to a recent Frontex incident report regarding the Pylos shipwreck.
The commencement date for the trial involving the nine defendants has not yet been determined. Greek law dictates that it must commence within eighteen months of their initial apprehension. Should the men be convicted, they could be sentenced to decades in prison.
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