KALAMATA, Greece (AP) — In a major search operation in southern Greece, rescue workers carefully transferred the bodies of deceased migrants to refrigerated trucks while continuing their efforts to locate any possible survivors. The sea disaster occurred when a fishing boat, overcrowded with migrants attempting to travel from Libya to Italy, capsized and sank in deep waters off the Greek coast. The number of individuals still missing is estimated to be in the hundreds.78 bodies have been recovered so far, with 104 passengers rescued. The survivors, consisting mostly of men from Egypt, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Palestine, are in shock and desperate to contact their families. Authorities fear that many others were trapped below deck, making this one of the deadliest tragedies in the central Mediterranean. Greece has declared three days of mourning, and campaigning for the upcoming general election has been suspended. The European Commission president promised to enhance cooperation between the European Union and neighboring countries to combat migrant smugglers. However, human rights groups argue that these efforts are forcing migrants to take longer and more perilous routes.The search operation has thus far failed to find any more survivors or bodies. Greek coast guard officials believe the vessel may have sunk due to fuel depletion or engine failure, leading to a loss of stability. Aerial photographs of the boat before the incident depict overcrowding, with passengers not wearing life jackets. Survivors currently remain hospitalized, primarily for hypothermia symptoms, while the bodies of the deceased have been transported to a morgue outside Athens for identification purposes. Given that the incident took place in an area with depths of up to 17,000 feet (5,200 meters), locating the sunken vessel may prove challenging. This tragic event adds to the already alarming statistics of over 21,000 deaths and disappearances in the central Mediterranean since 2014.
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