Amnesty calls for an “urgent” investigation into the conditions of the “catastrophic” shipwreck in Greece

The NGO shows its concern about the lack of transparency of the Greek authorities

June 16 () –

The NGO Amnesty International (AI) has described as “catastrophic” the shipwreck that occurred next to the Greek city of Pylos last Tuesday, which has resulted in nearly 80 deaths, and has emphasized the “desperate” need for the existence of routes “safe and legal” to Europe.

“This is a tragedy of unimaginable proportions, even more so because it was completely preventable. We demand an urgent, exhaustive, independent and impartial investigation into what happened to cause this catastrophe, and that assistance and support be provided to the survivors,” said the researcher. on migration by Amnesty International Adriana Tidona.

Amnesty has called the Greek government accountable because, although the Greek coast guard has assured that the people on board the ship “rejected” assistance and expressed their desire to continue to Italy, the NGO has questioned whether they consulted each and every one of them. migrants, who were also “in clear danger”.

“Many questions demand answers. Why wasn’t a search and rescue operation launched much sooner? What caused the shipwreck? Who lost their lives? The survivors and their families deserve transparency, truth and justice,” he demanded. Tidona.

The researcher has asked to “urgently” clarify the conditions in which “this tragedy” occurred, which belongs to a long list of shipwrecks that have occurred both in Greece and in the rest of Europe and that “could have been easily avoided.”

In addition, it has shown its concern about the lack of transparency of the Greek authorities, which it has urged to share more information about the incident and about the decision not to launch a rescue mission beforehand.

The organization has also asked the Government of Greece to guarantee adequate psychological support to the survivors, that they have access to forms of communication to contact their loved ones and that they be accommodated in a safe environment, in addition to reporting the disappearance of more people.

The publication of the aerial images and information from Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard, are essential to reconstruct the wreck, according to Amnesty.