At least 300 dead after refugee boat sinks off Greece, according to Pakistani officials

Last week, one Fishing boat full of refugees fleeing to Europe from Africa capsized in international waters. More than 100 people were rescued, was pulled out of the waves and taken to the Greek port of Kalamata, but the full scale of the disaster remains unclear — it was difficult at first to determine how many people were on board, let alone how many had alive to rescue. Now, however, more certain numbers seem to be on the horizon: Pakistani officials claimed that more than 300 people were killed when the fishing boat capsized.

If that sounds odd, a Pakistani official commented on a boat that left Libya and sank near Greece, there’s a good reason behind it: Many of the passengers on board the fishing boat were from Pakistan. – trying to escape. the country’s financial crisis, and find a better life with better work in Europe. If Pakistan’s numbers are correct, very few people do.

The fishing boat upside down on June 16, 47 miles southwest of Greece, after leaving the city of Tobruk in Libya. It was bound for Italy, according to Greek officials, but the boat’s engine died before docking. Members of the Greek Coast Guard approached the boat, and said that help was not needed before it sinks.

However, relatives of the passengers told a slightly different story. According to them, the Greek authorities tried to pull the fishing boat ashore but their wiring is incorrect – tow the boat down instead of towing it to safety. However, this view was opposed by the Greek Coast Guard, who argued that the boats present were not even capable of towing such a large vessel.

The tragedy stands in stark contrast to another recent maritime incident – the disappearance of the Titan submarine, which has attracted worldwide media attention (and earn four individual posts on this site alone). While this fishing boat sinking is certainly a far greater tragedy – both in terms of the scale of the loss of life and the consent of the Titan passengers compared to the despair of the refugees on fishing boat – it received less international attention.

Maybe it’s because it lacks the Google-friendly keywords of the Titanic, the clicks of lost billionaires at sea, or the sheer joy of watching. people who are said to be “smart” piled into a submersible is obviously slap. Maybe the topic of financial instability and refugees is uncomfortable and forces us all to consider that we are will most likely end up on that crumpled blue fishing boat than spend $250,000 for a seat in the Undersea Death Pipe.

With any luck, neither of us will end up with both. But, as last week showed, not everyone is so lucky.