2023-06-15 20:42:22
The Greek authorities arrested nine people of Egyptian nationality on Thursday accused of human trafficking in the framework of investigations into the sinking of a fishing boat in the Ionian Sea. that left at least 78 dead and hundreds missing.
As reported by public television ERT, the nine Egyptians, who are among the 104 rescued from the shipwreck, face charges of forming a criminal organization with the aim of smuggling immigrants.
The detainees had a website to attract people who want to emigrate to Europe
According to testimonies of some of those rescued reported by the Greek media, The 30-meter-long fishing vessel initially set off from Egyptian shores, made a stop in eastern Libya and then set sail for Italy.
The overloaded boat, in which between 500 and 700 migrants were traveling according to local media, sank after capsizing southwest of the Greek Peloponnese peninsula early Wednesday morning.
Some of the castaways arrive at the port of Kalamata aboard a superyacht
Hans Leijtens, executive director of Frontex, the border agency of the European Union (EU), went this Thursday to the headquarters of the port authority in the city of Kalamata, where the rescued have been transferred.
“I am here to better understand what happened and to express my solidarity and help to the Greek (Greek Coast Guard) colleagues who did everything possible to save lives,” Leijtens said.
The nine detainees had a web page to attract people who want to emigrate to Europe and they charged between 4,000 and 6,000 euros per migrant, says ERT.
Demonstrations across the country
Besides. Thousands of people demonstrated this Thursday in the main cities of Greece for the sinking of the fishing boat. According to the Greek Police, some 8,000 people protested in the center of Athens against the migration policies of the European Union (EU) and Greece, which, according to their complaints, have turned the bloc into a “fortress” and the Mediterranean into a ” sea of dead”.
Some rallies were followed by limited riots, which occurred in the capital after protesters threw Molotov cocktails at riot police, who responded with tear gas.
Demonstrations were also held in Thessaloniki, Patras and the port city of Kalamata.
read also
#Egyptians #arrested #shipwreck #Ionian #Sea #dead