Ombudsman says Coast Guard communication logs missing in Pylos shipwreck
Greece’s Ombudsman has identified several failures by the Hellenic Coast Guard in its response to the Pylos shipwreck, stating that the operation fell short of the legal duty to conduct search and rescue.
The findings, published after an investigation into the June 14, 2023 sinking of the fishing trawler Adriana, highlight missing evidence and unexplained delays. The Adriana, which was carrying an estimated 700-750 migrants, capsized 47 nautical miles southwest of Pylos, in southwestern Greece. A total of 104 people were rescued, and 82 bodies were recovered.
Ombudsman Andreas Pottakis launched the inquiry in November 2023 after the Coast Guard refused to conduct an internal disciplinary investigation, claiming there were no indications of wrongdoing.
The agency also failed to provide complete records of communications from its operations center on the night of the disaster. Notably, transcripts are missing from 11.30 p.m. on June 13 to 2.20 a.m. on June 14. The voyage data recorder (VDR) aboard patrol vessel 920, the only Coast Guard boat present at the site of the sinking, was reportedly inoperative.
The report includes evidence suggesting that Coast Guard personnel were aware the Adriana was in distress, making the failure to launch a timely rescue operation a case of fatal negligence. At 6.18 p.m. on June 13, the captain of the nearby merchant vessel Lucky Sailor reported to the operations center that the vessel was drifting eastward and dangerously overcrowded. At 9.45 p.m., the captain of a second merchant vessel, Faithful Warrior, warned that the fishing boat was “rocking dangerously.” The captain of patrol vessel 920 shared an image of the distressed ship with superiors, yet the Coast Guard chief later claimed he was informed only after the incident as he was absent from the operations center.
Additionally, the report reveals that the EU border agency Frontex twice offered aerial surveillance support, but the Coast Guard did not respond.
The Adriana sank at 2.06 a.m. on June 14, with a search and rescue operation only ordered at that time. By then, patrol vessel 920 was the only ship in the area, as the operations center had instructed Faithful Warrior to leave. No conclusive answers emerged regarding whether the Adriana was being towed by the crew of the 920 when it capsized. Survivor testimonies presented to a Kalamata judge claim the boat overturned while being towed, a claim denied by Coast Guard personnel, who cited the patrol boat’s technical limitations.
The Ombudsman holds eight Coast Guard officers responsible for fatal negligence and has submitted its findings to the Ministry of Shipping for disciplinary action, as well as to the Naval Court of Piraeus, which is conducting an ongoing investigation.
Yiannis Souliotis-Kathimerini
