Investigations off Pylos are in full swing – Authorities to investigate the causes that led to this deadly tragedy – Fears that dozens of women and children were locked in the hold
One of the biggest tragedies involving migrants in the waters of the Mediterranean has been ongoing since the early hours of the morning off Pylos. At least 79 people have so far been found dead and 104 people have been rescued from the fishing boat which was reportedly carrying around 500 people from Pakistan, Egypt and Syria.
The investigations off Pylos are in full progress with the authorities investigating the causes that led to this fatal tragedy.
The scenarios for the causes of the multi-fatal shipwreck
The most common scenario for the sinking of the fishing vessel is that it developed a mechanical failure. Then the emigrants became stressed resulting in a sudden weight shift and eventually sinking.
“All the immigrants left on one side, because they were probably stressed and it turned upside down. Imagine a boat about 25-30 meters. According to what the immigrants say, there are around 700 or more people” said a Coast Guard official during a briefing for the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
Another possible scenario it is the slavers who tried to move a large part of the migrants from the deck so that they could not be seen and so it appears that there was a shift of weight causing the vessel to capsize and quickly take on water.
“We have information since the morning that we are talking with the port authority here with the services, that there is a large number that were on board this fishing boat. We have to say, it was only 30 meters, so you realize how many people were in a very small space” reports the Commander of the 6th Health Region, George Karvelis.
The vessel experienced mechanical failure from Libya
As reported by SKAI in the central news bulletin, the fishing vessel had a mechanical breakdown from the moment it set sail and while it was still near the coast of Libya. Despite the fact that some of the migrants asked to go back to Libya while they were still around, the traffickers apparently refused and so the journey continued as normal.
$6,500 a head and no life jackets
As can be seen from the photos that came to the public shortly before the sinking of the boat, the migrants were traveling crammed into the old fishing boat and without wearing life jackets which is customary to save space.
The amount the migrants had paid the traffickers for this trip was $6,500 each.
Women and children locked in the hold
According to what the rescued migrants told the authorities, there were also women and children on the boat, but the traffickers had locked them in the hold. So far, however, they have not been identified, while all 104 rescued as well as the dead are all men.
Bringing in three rescuers as traffickers
At the same time, three people have been brought in on suspicion of being traffickers. According to what was reported by SKAI, the authorities found these three people as it seems that they were the most relaxed and least distressed of the rescued.
The chronicle of the tragedy
It all started, at noon on Tuesday, when a FRONTEX aircraft spotted the fishing vessel sailing in international waters without asking for help. A little later, the boat is noticed by a helicopter of the coast guard. The coast guard appeals for help to the fishing vessel, however, the people on board refuse help.
On Tuesday afternoon a cargo ship also approaches the boat with the migrants who accept the food, but again refuse their help. Then another truck approaches them but refuses both help and food. At night, a coastal patrol boat of the port again approaches the fishing vessel and confirms the existence of a large number of migrants on deck. The patrol boat remains alongside the fishing boat while it continues its journey. However, in the early hours of the morning, the fishing boat capsizes and finally sinks, dragging dozens of migrants to their deaths.
Source: Skai
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