In a tragic incident along the central Mediterranean migration route, a fishing vessel capsized off the coast of Greece on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of at least 79 migrants. This ranks as one of the worst recorded sinkings on this deadly route, leaving hundreds more missing. The Greek government has declared three days of mourning in response to this devastating event. According to the BBC, the deputy mayor of the southern port city where survivors were taken reports that there were more than 500 people on board, none of whom were wearing life jackets. It is estimated that over 100 people have been rescued so far.
The vessel, measuring 80 to 100 feet in length, is believed to have departed from Libya en route to Italy. The Greek coast guard attempted to assist the vessel after being alerted by Italy about its presence in international waters. However, their assistance was declined multiple times. Authorities report that the engine malfunctioned, causing the ship to flood and sink within a span of just 10 to 15 minutes in one of the deepest parts of the Mediterranean. The UN migration agency describes this as one of the largest tragedies in the Mediterranean, emphasizing the need for concrete action from states to save lives at sea and provide safer migration pathways for individuals seeking refuge.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
