Death toll of migrant boat sinking off Greece climbs to 81
Death toll of migrant boat sinking off Greece climbs to 81, with hundreds still unaccounted for.
3 more bodies recovered close to area of sinking of boat with hundreds of migrants on board, says local media.
The confirmed death toll of last week’s shipwreck off southwestern Greece climbed to 81 even as hundreds more migrants are feared drowned, said local media on Monday.
The bodies of three migrants were recovered in an area close to the sinking, said public broadcaster ERT, adding that search operations are still underway with the participation of a Greek frigate, helicopter, and aircraft.
A total of 104 people were rescued, but the death toll is expected to rise as survivors said the vessel was carrying more than 600 migrants, mostly from Pakistan, Egypt, and Syria.
According to human rights groups, the Greek Coast Guard might have ignored SOS signals from the boat, while some survivors accused Greek authorities of being directly involved in the accident.
Separately, nine suspected human traffickers were granted 24 hours to prepare their testimony over accusations that they captained the boat.
All the suspects have reportedly denied the accusations.
According to their lawyers, the suspects said that like other migrants, they had paid to reach Italy.
In a related development, Greek authorities rejected a BBC report that claimed that the boat was immobilized for hours before it eventually sunk.
After its initial detection by the Greek coast guard, the boat had traveled some 30 nautical miles before it sunk, they said.
AA
