HRW denounces the lack of progress in the investigations into the Pylos shipwreck (Greece) a year ago

The NGO remembers the “horrible tragedy” that left 82 confirmed dead and more than 500 missing

June 13. () –

The NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) has denounced this Thursday the lack of progress in the investigations into the shipwreck of Pylos, in the Greek region of Peloponnese (southern), which occurred on June 14, 2023, a “horrible tragedy” that left 82 confirmed dead and more than 500 missing.

“It is inconceivable that a year after this horrible tragedy, the investigation into the possible responsibility of the Hellenic Coast Guard has made little progress. We need to see a credible process for accountability and an end to the cycle of violence and impunity at the borders of Greece,” said HRW deputy director for Europe and Central Asia, Judith Sunderland.

In that sense, he has stated that hundreds of families are still waiting to know the “truth about the fate of their loved ones”, which is why he has urged the Greek authorities to advance the investigation into the alleged responsibility of their coast guard so that ” justice is finally done.”

Furthermore, he recalled that investigations carried out by HRW and the NGO Amnesty International (AI) have found faults on the part of the Greek Coast Guard, with accusations that even a patrol caused the overturning of the fishing boat ‘Adriana’, which It had about 750 people on board, of whom only 104 survived.

Different organizations, in addition to those mentioned, then joined a case opened before the Greek Naval Court on behalf of 53 survivors who blame the event on the Greek authorities.

It should be noted that on May 21, the Kalamata Criminal Court withdrew the charges against the nine Egyptian citizens accused of smuggling and causing the shipwreck, who had been detained for eleven months.

Both HRW and AI expressed concern about the fairness of the trial because it was “based on incomplete and questionable evidence”, and complain that the investigation into the role of the coast guard has not yet been concluded.

In fact, the request of the Naval Court prosecutor to carry out a forensic analysis of the phones of the members of the Coast Guard, which were not seized until two months after the incident, is still pending.

On June 13, 2023, the Greek authorities received an alert about the presence of the fishing boat ‘Adriana’ in their search and rescue area, which ended up sinking 15 hours later.

The Greek authorities maintain that the ship refused any type of help and maintained that it was not at risk until shortly before capsizing, but the data analyzed by the British channel BBC from the MarineTraffic portal seem to reveal navigation problems, amid the growing criticism of the Greek Coast Guard for its attitude during the incident.