An investigation by the Greek investigative organization Solomon, together with Forensis, the German public broadcaster StrgF/ARD and the British newspaper The Guardian, revealed how the actions of the Greek coast guard caused the ship to sink and kill hundreds of people. He also showed the inconsistencies in the reports of the Greek authorities.
The award ceremony held at the European Parliament in Strasbourg was attended by the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, her deputy responsible for the award Pina Picierno (Socialists and Democrats, Italy) and the chairperson of the Berlin Press Club Juliane Hielscher, representing the 28-member independent jury from all over Europe, the EP reports.
EP President R. Metsola said: “Today, as every year, we honor the memory of Daphne Caruana Galizia with a journalism prize that reminds us of her fight for truth and justice. Journalists around the world are persecuted for their work, but they refuse to remain silent. The European Parliament supports their fight for press freedom and media diversity in Europe and beyond.”
From May 3 until July 31 more than 700 journalists from 27 EU member states submitted their journalistic works to the jury of evaluators. From them, the jury chose 12 finalists, and then the winner. Among the finalists of the competition is an international journalistic investigation about the Kremlin’s plans from secret documents for the neighboring states: Moldova, Belarus, the Baltic countries and the entire Baltic Sea region, in which the LRT research group also participated.
How the ship sank
The consortium thoroughly investigated the circumstances in which on June 14 The fishing trawler “Adriana” sank about 50 nautical miles from the city of Pylos in southwestern Greece, killing more than 600 migrants who had sailed from Libya on it a few days earlier.
More than 20 survivors of the disaster were interviewed and court documents and Coast Guard sources were examined. The results of the investigation detail how lifesaving opportunities were missed and offers of help rejected, with survivors claiming the ship sank as a result of the Greek coastguard trying to tow the trawler. The Greek coast guard denies the allegations.
Forensis research agency recreated the events of the fateful night using an interactive three-dimensional model of the trawler. It also used Coast Guard records and affidavits from the captain of a Coast Guard vessel, flight and marine traffic data, satellite photos and footage from nearby fishing vessels and other sources.
Award in memory of the deceased Maltese journalist
The journalism prize was established in 2019. in december The decision of the European Parliament office to honor the anti-corruption Maltese investigative journalist Daphna Caruana Galizia, who was killed in 2017. after a car bomb exploded.
Every year, marking the anniversary of DC Galizia’s murder, this prize is awarded to the best journalistic work that promotes and defends the most important principles and values of the European Union: human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights.
Candidates for this award can be professional journalists of any nationality and their teams. They must submit detailed work published by a media company established in one of the 27 EU Member States.
The winner is selected by an independent commission consisting of media and civil society representatives from the 27 EU member states and a representative of the International Federation of Journalists. By awarding a cash prize of €20,000, the European Parliament expresses its strong support for investigative journalism and highlights the importance of media freedom.
in 2021 in October The DCGalizia Journalism Prize was awarded to journalists from the Pegasus project of the Forbidden Stories consortium. in 2022 in October the prize was awarded to the companies Découpages and Arte GEIE for a co-production film about Russian influence in Africa.
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#Journalism #Award #investigation #migrant #ship #disaster #coast #Greece
**Interview with Giorgos Manolis, a lead investigator from Solomon organization**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Giorgos. Congratulations on winning the 2023 Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize. Can you tell us what motivated your team to investigate the Adriana shipwreck?
**Giorgos Manolis:** Thank you for having me. The tragic loss of over 600 lives in the Adriana shipwreck was a call to action for us. We felt it was essential to seek the truth about what happened that night and hold accountable those responsible for the events leading up to the sinking.
**Interviewer:** Your investigation revealed significant inconsistencies in the reports from the Greek authorities. What were some of the key findings that stood out to you?
**Giorgos Manolis:** One major finding was that there were multiple opportunities to provide help to the migrants, which were missed or outright rejected by the Greek coast guard. Survivors reported that the coast guard was attempting to tow the vessel, which ultimately led to the trawler capsizing. These claims starkly contrast the coast guard’s narrative and highlight the urgent need for transparency.
**Interviewer:** Can you elaborate on the methods your team used to piece together the events of that night?
**Giorgos Manolis:** Certainly. We conducted interviews with more than 20 survivors and meticulously examined court documents and various coast guard records. Forensic analysis included satellite images, marine traffic data, and even a three-dimensional interactive model of the trawler created by Forensis. Each piece of evidence helped us reconstruct that tragic night in great detail.
**Interviewer:** The award ceremony took place at the European Parliament, where President Roberta Metsola emphasized the importance of press freedom. How do you view the role of investigative journalism in relation to your work?
**Giorgos Manolis:** Investigative journalism is crucial for uncovering truths that those in power often wish to conceal. Our work honored the legacy of Daphne Caruana Galizia, who stood for justice and transparency. Winning this award reinforces the idea that journalists can be a powerful force for change, and it’s a reminder that our pursuit of truth may involve personal risks, but it is essential for democracy.
**Interviewer:** What do you hope this investigation will achieve in the long run?
**Giorgos Manolis:** Our foremost hope is for accountability. We want to shine a light on the systemic failures that led to this disaster and push for policy changes that prioritize the safety of migrants at sea. Ultimately, we want to foster a culture of accountability and empathy in dealing with vulnerable populations, so tragedies like this do not happen again.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Giorgos, for your insights and for shedding light on such an important issue.
**Giorgos Manolis:** Thank you for having me. It’s vital that we keep these conversations alive.
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