The Greek Coast Guard is accused of causing the deaths of dozens of migrants in the Mediterranean over the past three years, according to witnesses. Among the victims, nine people were apparently deliberately thrown into the sea.
A BBC analysis revealed that more than 40 people died due to forced pushbacks or were abandoned at sea after reaching Greek islands.
The Coast Guard has categorically denied all allegations of illegal activity. However, footage shows migrants loaded onto a Coast Guard boat and then abandoned on a dinghy.
A former Greek Coast Guard officer called such actions “obviously illegal” and “an international crime.”
The investigation examined 15 crashes between 2020 and 2023, which caused 43 deaths. Verifying these allegations is difficult, but in four cases the BBC was able to confirm testimonies. In five incidents, migrants say they were thrown directly into the sea by Greek authorities. In others, they were placed on rafts without a motor that later deflated or became punctured.
A witness from Cameroon told how, after landing on the island of Samos, he was captured and thrown into the sea without a life jacket, only managing to survive by luck.
The Greek Coast Guard said it operates “with the utmost professionalism” and respects international standards, adding that it has rescued more than 250,000 migrants since 2015.
This is the link to the original article:
www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0vv717yvpeo
