2023-06-18 18:22:32
The British Observer newspaper said, quoting testimonies of survivors of the boat disaster that sank off the coast of Greece, last Wednesday, that the Pakistanis were forced to stay in the bottom of the rickety boat, which weakened their ability to survive.
According to leaked testimonies given to the Coast Guard by the survivors, the Pakistanis were forced to descend from the deck, with other nationalities allowed on the upper deck, allowing the latter group to have a greater chance of surviving the capsizing of the boat off the Greek Peloponnese peninsula.
The Observer has learned that the ship’s crew mistreated the Pakistanis when they tried to find fresh water or flee.
Testimonies indicate that women and children were forced to stay in the bottom of the boat.
No women or children are believed to be among the survivors.
The authorities in Europe do not yet have a clear idea of the number of people who were on board the sinking boat, and estimates range from 400 to more than 700 immigrants, and it is possible that the majority of them are from Pakistan and its part of Kashmir, according to AFP.
Local media reported that 300 Pakistanis were killed.
It is believed that the death toll from the disaster reaches several hundred due to the large number that was on the boat, according to Archyde.com
And the Pakistani Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday that 12 Pakistanis had survived, noting that it had no information regarding the number of Pakistanis on board the boat.
However, an immigration official told AFP, on condition of anonymity, that the number might exceed 200.
Every year, thousands of young Pakistanis embark on perilous journeys in the hope of illegally reaching Europe, in search of a better life.
After the latest disaster, the Pakistani authorities arrested 10 people on suspicion of being migrant smugglers.
The paper notes that conditions on board were so “bleak” that even before it sank, there had already been six deaths following running out of fresh water.
And it quoted the Moroccan-Italian activist, Nawal Sofi, that the passengers were asking for help the day before the boat sank, adding: “They were asking for salvation through any authority.” Her account contradicts that of the Greek government, which said the passengers told the coast guard not to make any request for help because they wanted to go to Italy.
Another testimony also indicates that the boat’s engine had failed days before it sank.
The testimonies of the survivors also raise questions regarding whether the Greek coast guard should have intervened earlier to escort the boat to safety.
There are also accusations that the coast guard tied the boat with a rope that caused it to capsize, accusations that Greek officials have rejected.
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