In its report on the Pylos shipwreck, the Ombudsman (ΣτΠ) states that there are “clear indications” that the actions of 8 Coast Guard officers endangered the lives of the refugees aboard the fishing vessel Adriana. [1], [2]
The report has been sent to the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy and the relevant Prosecutorial Authority of the Piraeus Naval Court for review and to determine whether criminal or disciplinary charges, such as breach of duty, should be pursued.
Despite his requests, the Ombudsman highlights that key evidence, such as mobile phone data and conversations before the shipwreck, was not provided to him.
The fishing vessel left Libya for Italy with around 750 people onboard, of whom only 104 survived.
“Similarly, the recording material from the cameras on the Coast Guard vessel was not provided to the Authority, with the Coast Guard stating that it was out of service due to a malfunction. The evaluation of this evidence is critical for determining responsibility for causing the shipwreck,” the report states.
The Ombudsman initiated the investigation in June 2023 after the Greek Coast Guard rejected his requests to conduct an internal inquiry into the incident. This is the first investigation completed regarding the circumstances of the Adriana fishing vessel shipwreck.
According to Reuters, Coast Guard authorities have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in handling the case, which has raised many questions about the European Union’s approach to migration.
