ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s state ombudsman said Thursday that it’s launching an independent investigation into the coast guard’s handling of a maritime tragedy in June in which hundreds of migrants trying to reach Europe in an overloaded boat are feared to have drowned.
The independent authority said that it took the decision following “the expressed denial” of the Greek coast guard to initiate a disciplinary investigation in response to the ombudsman’s written requests.
A military court with jurisdiction over Greece’s navy and coast guard is conducting a preliminary investigation into the June 14 shipwreck, from which 104 survivors and 78 bodies were recovered.
Up to 750 people were believed to have been on the rusty fishing vessel, mostly below decks, when it sharply listed and quickly sank in the night. That would make it one of the worst disasters of its kind in the Mediterranean.
The court is also handling a lawsuit by 40 survivors, who accuse the coast guard of failing to prevent the shipwreck and loss of life.
Activists and human rights groups have strongly criticized the coast guard for its handling of…
Read the full article here