27 July 2023

The European Ombudsman, the EU’s watchdog, has launched an investigation into the role of the bloc’s border agency Frontex in the migrant shipwreck off Greece last month that claimed hundreds of lives.

The European Union’s official watchdog said Wednesday (July 26) that it was investigating the role of the EU border agency Frontex in the migrant boat disaster off the Greek coast, which killed up to 600 people.

EU ombudsman Emily O’Reilly said she intended to find out “who is accountable for these deaths,” adding that she especially wanted to clarify the role Frontex played in search and rescue (SAR) operations.

O’Reilly stressed that there are limits to Frontex’ authority over EU member states like Greece in regards to coming to the aid of people who are in distress on the high seas.

“It has been reported that in this instance Frontex alerted the Greek authorities to the ship’s presence and offered assistance but it is not clear what else it could or should have done,” O’Reilly was quoted as saying in a press release.

Other key questions prompted by the tragedy include what exactly Frontex did to communicate to Greek authorities, and what level of responsibility, if any, the agency might have for the shipwreck.

According to the press release, the investigation will also try to answer whether there are specific rules for on-boat cameras documenting joint rescue operations.

“A tragedy of this magnitude requires all those involved to reflect on their responsibilities,” O’Reilly said.

According to its own information, the European Ombudsman is an “independent and impartial body that holds the EU’s institutions and agencies to account, and promotes good administration.”

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency, commonly known as Frontex, has been accused of being complicit in human rights violations in Greece and elsewhere, including covering up information about a shipwreck off Italy and collecting information from migrants that could end up identifying vulnerable people seeking sanctuary from persecution.

In a separate case, the Ombudsman said last week they had also opened an inquiry into Frontex “not complying with the EU legislation on public access to documents.”

Frontex to ‘cooperate fully’

According to the Reuters news agency, Frontex said that it planned to cooperate fully with the investigation.

It also clarified its role in any search and rescue mission: “Frontex does not coordinate search and rescue operations. This is the responsibility of the national rescue coordination centers,” the EU agency said, as reported by Reuters.

However, Frontex added that it views the rescue of people at sea as one of its “essential roles,” and that it therefore would “provide all the necessary support to national authorities when needed.”

I welcome the @EUOmbudsman inquiry and will cooperate in full transparency to explain the role #Frontex plays in search and rescue operations. Although we do not coordinate #SAR operations, saving lives at sea is essential. We provide support to national authorities when needed. https://t.co/Yb4ftamWdy

— Hans Leijtens (@LeijtensFrontex) July 26, 2023

Deadliest migrant shipwreck in years

On June 14, a severely overcrowded fishing boat capsized and sank about 90 kilometers off the southern Greek coast in the Mediterranean Sea. It was the deadliest shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea in years.

As many as 750 people may have been on board the migrant ship, with just over 100 people surviving the shipwreck. So far, only 82 bodies have been recovered.

Adil Hussain, the brother of one of the victims, spoke to reporters shortly after the boat tragedy | Photo: Louiza Vradi/Reuters

Survivors, NGOs and UN agencies have strongly criticized Greece for not trying to save the migrants before their fishing trawler sank in international waters.

However, Greek officials say the passengers refused any help and insisted on proceeding towards Italy, adding that it would have been too dangerous to try and evacuate hundreds of unwilling people off an overcrowded ship.

But research and testimonies by survivors challenge the official account by the Greek coast guard.

Some of the survivors have accused the crew of the Greek coast guard vessel that was at the site of the tragedy of deliberately driving in a zigzag course after the crew had attached a tow line to the migrant boat.

Several of the survivors believe this is what ultimately caused the fishing trawler to tip and sink shortly after.

Uptick in dangerous boat crossings

European Ombudsman O’Reilly will be coordinating her investigation with Greek Ombudsman Andreas Pottakis, who has the authority to look into how the Greek authorities dealt with the shipwreck, according to the press release.

Any new findings made possible by the investigation could help migrants in distress in the Mediterranean Sea in the future, O’Reilly said.

The number of boat crossings in unseaworthy vessels has risen once again this year, as migrants continue to be willing to pay traffickers and smugglers from Turkey and North Africa large sums to attempt dangerous sea journeys to the EU member states like Greece, Cyprus and Italy.

In a bid to avoid coast guard patrols, smugglers are increasingly resorting to entering open, international waters in larger boats now, which could result in a higher rate of accidents and shipwrecks.

Also read: Frontex mulls exit from Greece as re-elected government vows to continue migration policy

with AP, dpa, AFP, Reuters

The original article: https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/50658/eu-watchdog-opens-probe-into-june-migrant-boat-tragedy-off-greece belongs to InfoMigrants: reliable and verified news for migrants – InfoMigrants .