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(Milan, 12 June 2024) – Little progress has been made in the investigation into the wreck of the overloaded trawler Adriana off the coast of Pylos. Greece June 14, 2023, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said today.
An estimated 750 people were on board, mainly from Syria, Pakistan and Egypt. Only 104 survived; 82 bodies were recovered, but only 58 were identified. More than 500 people are still missing. A Greek naval court opened an investigation in June 2023 into the potential liability of the Greek Coast Guard for the sinking, which is still in its preliminary stages.
“It is unconscionable that one year after this horrific tragedy, there has been so little progress in the investigation into the Greek Coast Guard’s potential liability,” he said. Judith SunderlandDeputy Director for Europe and Central Asia at Human Rights Watch. “We need to see a credible accountability process and an end to the violence and impunity at Greece’s border.”
“Hundreds of families are left in limbo, awaiting answers about the fate of their loved ones,” said Adriana Tidona, Migration Researcher at Amnesty International. “The Greek authorities must further investigate the Coast Guard’s possible responsibility in this incident and finally bring justice and closure to all those affected.”
On June 13, 2023, Greek authorities were alerted that an overloaded trawler Adriana had entered its search and rescue area, and 15 hours later the vessel sank. Research by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International There were also reports of negligence by Greek authorities in the hours before the sinking, and serious allegations that a Greek Coast Guard patrol boat caused the trawler to capsize while attempting to tow it.
NGOs filed a lawsuit on behalf of 53 survivors at the Greek Naval Court, accusing Greek authorities of responsibility for the sinking. It is estimated that more than 500 people are still missing, and the survivors and their families are still in confusion.
On May 21, the Criminal Court of Kalamata dismissed charges against nine survivors who had been detained for 11 months while on trial on serious charges including smuggling and causing the sinking of the ship. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch Concerns about the fairness of the trialIt also said the evidence in the case was incomplete and questionable given that the investigation into the Coast Guard’s role had not been completed.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch also said they had concerns about the integrity of evidence collected in the investigation into the sinking.
The prosecutor of the Navy Court requested a forensic analysis of the Coast Guard officer’s mobile phone, which was only seized by the authorities in late September 2023, more than two months after the incident, and it remains unsolved.
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