A passing Maltese-flagged cargo ship found the boat 112 nautical miles southwest of the town of Pylos in the early hours of Tuesday, the coast guard said. Many attempt to make the short crossing from the Turkish coast to nearby eastern Greek islands in small dinghies. The Greek coast guard came under intense criticism for its actions concerning the Adriana, which had been sailing in international waters but within Greece’s area of responsibility for search and rescue operations. A coast guard patrol boat and several merchant ships had been shadowing the Adriana for hours when it sank, but were unable to evacuate the passengers and prevent the massive loss of life. Survivors have said the Adriana went down during a botched coast guard attempt to tow it, which Greek officials strongly deny.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 06, 2024 16:25 UTC