The confirmed death toll from a migrant shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea on Wednesday rose to 81 on Monday after three more bodies were discovered in southern Greece, according to local authorities.
The ship capsized overnight in international waters off the Peloponnese, 47 nautical miles (87 km) from Pylos, in the Ionian Sea, with none of the migrants on board the fishing boat wearing a life jacket.
However, according to the Associated Press, there are increasing reports of survivors saying that shortly before it sank with hundreds on board, the boat was damaged and was being towed by another ship, raising questions about the Greek Coast Guard’s response. from the discovery of the ship to its sinking.
Athens authorities insist that the fishing boat carrying migrants from Libya to Italy was never towed and that it was only attached to a rope for a few moments before it capsized and sank.
The Coast Guard has been criticized for not trying to rescue the migrants before the sinking, but it claims the migrants refused any help and insisted on continuing on to Italy, and stresses that it would have been too dangerous to evacuate hundreds of resisting people from an overcrowded ship. .
So far, only 104 survivors have been found and 81 bodies have been recovered, but many reports say there were up to 750 people on board.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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