The Greek coast guard defended its response to a ship that sank off the country's south coast, killing more than 500 migrants, as anger grew over Europe's long-standing failure to avert similar catastrophes. A spokesman for the Greek coast guard told the press that the coast guard as well as private ships had been continuously offering assistance to the vessel on Wednesday while it was en route to Italy from Libya, however, he said that these calls were rejected. Multiple sources have told the press that the migrants on board were “very hesitant” to receive assistance, while legal experts have stated that maritime law had obliged the Greek authorities to try to rescue the migrants. The migrants’ reluctance to accept assistance could have been overruled if this was deemed unreasonable, the experts explain. According to Greek officials, the vessel capsized minutes after losing power, and fear among the passengers may have led the boat to lean and roll over.

Source: Libya Today June 17, 2023 12:37 UTC