They also call into question the Greek coast guard’s version of events, suggesting more lives could have been saved, and may even point to fault on the part of Greek authorities. “Brothers were separated, cousins were separated.”Another Syrian man, identified as Mostafa, also believes it was the maneuver by the coast guard that caused the disaster. The Hellenic Coast Guard has declined to answer CNN’s specific requests for response to the survivor testimonies. The Greek coast guard has maintained that people onboard the trawler had refused rescue and insisted they wanted to continue their journey to Italy. The haunting final words sent from the migrant boat came just minutes before it capsized.

Source: CNN June 23, 2023 15:58 UTC