Leaked Audio Calls into Question Greek Coast Guard's Account of Tragic Migrant Shipwreck

Leaked audio has surfaced, indicating that Greek Coast Guard officials may have misled authorities about their involvement in a tragic migrant vessel sinking that claimed up to 650 lives. Reports of a botched rescue attempt and pressures on migrants to deny seeking help in Greece raise serious concerns over accountability in the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Leaked audio recordings from the Greek rescue coordination center are raising serious concerns about the official narrative surrounding the tragic shipwreck off the coast of Greece that left nearly 650 migrants dead. The accounts suggest that the Greek Coast Guard may have mismanaged a rescue attempt leading to the capsizing of the overcrowded vessel, Adriana, in June 2023, in international waters but within Greece’s assigned rescue zone.

Survivors reported that the coast guard allegedly caused their vessel to overturn during an ill-fated towing attempt. They also claimed that authorities attempted to silence witnesses to the rescue operations. The Coast Guard, however, continues to deny these accusations, asserting that they did not intervene because the boat was not in distress and that the migrants wished to travel to Italy rather than Greece.

Recent audits of phone communications have emerged, revealing instructions from coast guard officials directing the captain of the migrant boat to inform an approaching vessel that the passengers did not want to disembark in Greece. These revelations have drawn skepticism towards the Greek Government's official response to the disaster and have further complicated the narrative surrounding this incident.

The Adriana had reportedly left Libya days earlier with an estimated 750 individuals onboard before sinking on June 14. International organizations, including the United Nations, have suggested that as many as 500 migrants are still unaccounted for, with fears that they may have perished at sea.

Audio files, obtained by Greek media outlet News247.gr, show two critical conversations between coast guard officials and the captains of supply vessels. In one call, an officer is heard instructing the captain to inform a transport ship that the migrants do not wish to go to Greece. In a later communication, the captain of the supply vessel asserts that the migrants were adamant about wanting to go to Italy and confirmed under questioning that they did not require assistance from Greece.

Though the Greek Coast Guard has not publicly addressed the leaked audio, it claims to have submitted all relevant materials, including the recordings, to maritime investigators. The official stance remains that they have successfully rescued over 250,000 migrants from danger at sea in the last decade.

Independent investigations into the disaster question the credibility of the coast guard's account. Human rights advocates claim inconsistencies in the agency’s timeline and actions during the crisis. Allegations have surfaced, including claims that the coast guard may have thrown migrants overboard and that survivors were coerced into blaming others for the wreck.

Legal representatives for accused parties expressed skepticism regarding the state's narrative, suggesting a cover-up to deflect responsibility. With calls growing for an independent investigation into the Greek authorities' handling of the incident, the future of rescue operations in the Mediterranean remains murky as human rights groups advocate for transparency and accountability.