Published : 29-12-2021
AGPS has received new details about the cause of the fatal boat accident off a Greek coast which claimed the lives of dozens of migrants.
The vessel set sail on Friday morning carrying 88 migrants onboard, more than two times its real capacity. Smugglers are held accountable for the tragic incident as they crammed people onto unseaworthy boats and failing to hand out life vests -- even to underage passengers.
Smugglers are now reportedly seeking to avoid Greek islands near the Turkish coastline, which is heavily being patroled by the coast guard and the European Union border protection agency, Frontex.
Due to over-capacity, the boat engine went inoperative and waters began to leak into the vessel which capsized just moments later. All migrants onboard, including children, elderly people, and women, fell.
The migrant survivors sounded distress signals and informed the Greek coast guard that their boat sunk off the Aegean coast. Greek coast guards showed up in the scenes hours later.
The number of victims so far has hit 16, among them three women and an infant. Dozens are left unaccounted for.
The victims are among scores of other Palestinian refugees who risked their lives onboard Europe-bound migrant boats, fleeing war, protracted displacement, and persecution. In the latest incident alone, at least eight Palestinian refugees from Syria died at sea; Rawnd Alayde, from Yarmouk Camp; Dentist Mohamed Kamel Ajaj, 38, a resident of Damascus; Ahmad Yousef Mohamed, born in 1965 and raised in Jaramana Camp; Abdul Karim Ismail; Alaa Abdul Karim Ismail, from AlSayeda Zeinab Camp in Rif Dimashq; Hayan Sawan, from Rukn Adeen in Damascus; Mohamed Abdul Razak Diab, from Jaramana Camp; And Anas AlMisawi, from Deraa Camp.
Greek authorities could have saved the refugees’ lives though urgent action. An independent fact-finding probe should be immediately launched to determine the root causes of the boat tragedy and hold those responsible for the migrant deaths to account.
AGPS extends its condolences to the victims’ families and calls for a serious follow-up by the United Nations and the international community.
AGPS has received new details about the cause of the fatal boat accident off a Greek coast which claimed the lives of dozens of migrants.
The vessel set sail on Friday morning carrying 88 migrants onboard, more than two times its real capacity. Smugglers are held accountable for the tragic incident as they crammed people onto unseaworthy boats and failing to hand out life vests -- even to underage passengers.
Smugglers are now reportedly seeking to avoid Greek islands near the Turkish coastline, which is heavily being patroled by the coast guard and the European Union border protection agency, Frontex.
Due to over-capacity, the boat engine went inoperative and waters began to leak into the vessel which capsized just moments later. All migrants onboard, including children, elderly people, and women, fell.
The migrant survivors sounded distress signals and informed the Greek coast guard that their boat sunk off the Aegean coast. Greek coast guards showed up in the scenes hours later.
The number of victims so far has hit 16, among them three women and an infant. Dozens are left unaccounted for.
The victims are among scores of other Palestinian refugees who risked their lives onboard Europe-bound migrant boats, fleeing war, protracted displacement, and persecution. In the latest incident alone, at least eight Palestinian refugees from Syria died at sea; Rawnd Alayde, from Yarmouk Camp; Dentist Mohamed Kamel Ajaj, 38, a resident of Damascus; Ahmad Yousef Mohamed, born in 1965 and raised in Jaramana Camp; Abdul Karim Ismail; Alaa Abdul Karim Ismail, from AlSayeda Zeinab Camp in Rif Dimashq; Hayan Sawan, from Rukn Adeen in Damascus; Mohamed Abdul Razak Diab, from Jaramana Camp; And Anas AlMisawi, from Deraa Camp.
Greek authorities could have saved the refugees’ lives though urgent action. An independent fact-finding probe should be immediately launched to determine the root causes of the boat tragedy and hold those responsible for the migrant deaths to account.
AGPS extends its condolences to the victims’ families and calls for a serious follow-up by the United Nations and the international community.
