Survivors claims that 3 people drowned after they where forced in life rafts by the Hellenic coast guard
A boat carrying 34 people started out at from Sazli, Ayvacik, Turkey on December 18th at 22.00, heading towards Lesvos north east. Around midnight they where stopped and picked up by a vessel with ID number ΛΣ 050, identified as a Vosper Europatrol 250 Mk1 Class offshore patrol vessel of the Hellenic coast guard, stationed in Petra port on Lesvos north.
Most of their phones, money and papers was taken from them onboard by men wearing black mask, some who resisted were brutally beaten, according to one of the people involved. They where kept outside in the front of the vessel for hours in the cold, traveling due south.
After several unsuccessful attempts to deploy them they where transferred into a smaller vessel, from the pictures taken after they where forced in the rafts, the boat is identified as a Lambro 57 coastal patrol boat, same type used by the Hellenic coast guard.
34 people was forced into three life raft, but shortly after one of the rafts “exploded” one of the survivors stated, five people disappeared in the dark, only two of them was found alive. Three dead bodies was taken onboard the Hellenic coast guard vessel ΛΣ 050, before they left them drifting, according to the survivors.
At 05.50 Aegean Boat Report was informed that 34 people was drifting north west of Foça in 3 life rafts, “ we need help, Greek coast guard dropped us her, we are 34 people, we need help” shortly after one of the rafts supposedly exploded. Turkish coast guard was alerted and all necessary information was given.
On December 19th Turkish coast guard rescued 31 people from two life rafts drifting outside Aslan Cape, Foça, Turkey.They also gave a statement to TCG who published the statement on the TCG website. Statement given to Aegean Boat Report in the morning on December 19th tells the same story, 3 people drowned after a life raft was destroyed after they where deployed.
A judicial investigation has been initiated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Foça regarding the incident. There has been no statement from neither the Hellenic coast guard or the Greek government on the incident, I guess they will say that they where not involved, as usual..
What really happened that night is so far difficult to determine, but the statement from the survivors is clear, they claim that 3 people drowned due to the illegal actions of the Hellenic coast guard.
The failure of the Greek government is getting more and more visual, evidence of violations of international laws and human rights is published every single day, yet Europe remains quiet, no actions is so far taken against the Greek government for these violations.
Report published by the Turkish coast guard: https://www.sg.gov.tr/izmir-aciklarinda-31-duzensiz1…