Conflicting Accounts Surrounding Greek Shipwreck: Did Migrants Reject or Beg for Help?

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The events leading up to one of the most devastating shipwrecks in recent Mediterranean history, which occurred off the coast of Greece, are shrouded in uncertainty and divergent narratives. On June 9, an overcrowded steel fishing trawler embarked on a perilous journey from eastern Libya to Italy, carrying approximately 750 individuals—men, women, and children—seeking refuge from the despair in their home countries and hoping to reunite with family members in Europe.

Five days later, the trawler sank in the deep waters of the Mediterranean Sea, resulting in the loss of hundreds of lives. Only 104 individuals, all men, managed to survive, while the remains of 78 victims were recovered. The tragic incident has raised numerous questions, with activists, migration experts, and opposition politicians criticizing Greek authorities for their alleged failure to respond promptly and rescue the migrants, despite a coast guard vessel being present and witnessing the tragedy unfold.

The following timeline is based on reports from Greek authorities, a commercial ship, and activists who claimed to be in contact with the passengers. While there are moments of convergence, there are also significant discrepancies in their accounts.

MIGRATION
Greek coast guard defends actions as more than 500 migrants heading for Europe feared dead in wreck
Relatives fear worst with four men and a boy missing after Mediterranean ship disaster
Hope dims for missing migrants amid questions about Greece’s actions in deadly sinking
At least 79 dead after overcrowded migrant vessel sinks off Greece; hundreds may be missing

The Greek Coast Guard asserts that the overloaded trawler was steadily progressing toward Italy and had refused nearly all assistance until moments before its sinking. This claim is partly corroborated by the account of a merchant tanker in close proximity.

However, activists contend that the people on board were in grave danger and had been pleading for help for over 15 hours before the vessel sank.

Maritime law experts and coast guard professionals argue that the conditions aboard the trawler were evidently precarious and warranted an immediate rescue operation, regardless of the statements made by those on board.

Many aspects of these narratives could not be independently verified at the time.

Notably absent from this timeline is the testimony of survivors, who have been relocated to a secluded facility and kept away from the media.

All times provided are in Greece’s time zone.

INITIAL CONTACT

Around 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Italian authorities alerted Greece that a fishing trawler carrying migrants was situated in international waters southwest of the Peloponnese. Greece claims that the Italian authorities were notified by an activist.

Around the same time, human rights activist Nawal Soufi shared on social media that a woman on a boat, which had departed Libya four days prior, had reached out to her.

Soufi wrote that the migrants had run out of water and shared GPS coordinates, indicating that they were approximately 100 km (62 miles) from Greece.

In her posts and subsequent audio recordings, Soufi described around 20 conversations with people on the trawler. Big Big News was unable to reach Soufi for comment.

At 11:47 p.m., a surveillance aircraft from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex spotted the overcrowded trawler and informed Greek authorities, according to the agency’s statement provided to AP. Frontex later informed AP that their aircraft had to depart after 10 minutes due to a fuel shortage but had shared detailed information and photographs of the heavily overcrowded trawler with Greece.

CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS OF CONDITIONS ON BOARD

At 2 p.m., Greek authorities established contact with someone on the trawler. According to a statement, the vessel did not request assistance from the Coast Guard or Greece.

Activists, however, claimed that by Tuesday afternoon, the people on the boat were already in desperate need.

At 3:11 p.m., Soufi wrote that passengers informed her that seven individuals were unconscious.

Around the same time, Alarm Phone, an independent network of activists operating a hotline for migrants in distress, received a call from someone aboard the trawler. Alarm Phone reported that the caller stated they could not survive the night and were in severe distress.

At 3:35 p.m., a Greek Coast Guard helicopter located the trawler and released an aerial photograph revealing an overcrowded vessel, with individuals occupying almost every inch of the deck.

From that point until 9 p.m., Greek authorities claimed to have maintained contact with the people on the trawler through satellite phones, radios, and shouted conversations facilitated by merchant vessels and a Coast Guard boat that arrived after dark. The authorities further stated that the individuals on the trawler consistently expressed their desire to continue to Italy and rejected rescue efforts.

MERCHANT SHIPS PROVIDE SUPPLIES

At 5:10 p.m., Greek authorities requested that the Maltese-flagged tanker, Lucky Sailor, deliver food and water to the trawler.

According to Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Limited, the company managing the Lucky Sailor, the people on the trawler were hesitant to receive assistance and vocalized their intent to reach Italy. Eventually, after persuasion, the trawler agreed to accept the supplies.

Around 6 p.m., a Greek Coast Guard helicopter reported that the trawler was sailing steadily on its course.

However, at 6:20 p.m., Alarm Phone received reports from those on board, stating that the trawler was stationary, and the “captain” had abandoned the vessel in a small boat. Urgent pleas for a solution were expressed.

The Greek authorities’ account suggests that the trawler halted around that time to receive supplies from the Lucky Sailor.

At 6:55 p.m., Soufi wrote that migrants on board informed her that six people had died, and two others were critically ill. No other sources have mentioned fatalities before the shipwreck, and the AP has been unable to verify this claim.

Around 9 p.m., Greek authorities requested a second merchant vessel, which was Greek-flagged, to deliver water and permitted the Lucky Sailor to depart.

Subsequently, at approximately 10:40 p.m., a Coast Guard boat from Crete reached the trawler and remained in close proximity until it sank. According to the Coast Guard, the vessel discreetly observed the trawler from a distance. Once again, the Coast Guard reported that the trawler did not exhibit any apparent issues, maintaining a steady course and speed.

THE FINAL HOURS

According to Soufi’s account, attempts to deliver supplies may have contributed to the trawler’s predicament.

Shortly after 11 p.m., Soufi wrote that the trawler started rocking as passengers attempted to catch water bottles from another vessel. As per those on board, ropes were fastened to the ship, destabilizing it and inducing a state of panic.

The report from the Lucky Sailor contradicted this, stating that no lines were tied to the trawler, and supplies were delivered in watertight barrels secured by a rope.

The other merchant vessel did not respond immediately to AP’s inquiries.

A spokesman for the Greek Coast Guard revealed on Friday evening that their vessel briefly connected a light rope to the trawler at around 11 p.m. However, he emphasized that none of the vessels attempted to tow the trawler.

Commander Nikos Alexiou informed Greek channel Ant1 TV that the Coast Guard aimed to assess the trawler’s condition, but those on board once again declined assistance, untied the rope, and continued their course.

Soufi’s last contact with the trawler occurred at 11 p.m. She later mentioned in a voice memo that the individuals on board never expressed a desire to continue sailing to Italy or refused Greece’s help. Instead, they were in danger and desperately needed assistance.

THE WRECK

According to authorities, the trawler continued to move until 1:40 a.m. on Wednesday when its engine ceased functioning. The Coast Guard vessel approached to investigate the problem.

Within minutes, Alarm Phone had a final conversation with people on the trawler. However, due to the call abruptly terminating, the activists could only discern the words, “Hello my friend … The ship you send is …” before the communication was lost.

At 2:04 a.m., over 15 hours after Greek authorities were first alerted, the Coast Guard reported that the trawler began violently rocking from side to side and subsequently capsized.

Individuals on the deck were thrown into the sea, while others clung to the vessel as it overturned. Many more, including women and children, became trapped below deck.

Fifteen minutes later, the trawler vanished beneath the water’s surface.

During the dark hours of that night, 104 people were rescued and brought ashore by the luxury yacht Mayan Queen IV, which happened to be sailing nearby. Greek authorities retrieved 78 bodies. Since Wednesday, no additional individuals have been found.

Up to 500 people remain missing.

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AP writer Aritz Parra reported from Barcelona, Spain. Derek Gatopoulos, a writer for Big Big News, contributed to this report from Athens, Greece.

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This story corrects the timing of the initial sighting by the Frontex plane.

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For more news on global migration, visit https://bigbignews.net/migration.

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