The Adriana was a fishing trawler that sank in the Mediterranean, carrying from 500 to more than 700 migrants to Italy, with only 104 survivors and 80 bodies recovered. Nine Egyptian men identified as crew members by other survivors are due to go on trial for the shipwreck. The legal defense team argues that they were passengers and Greece does not have jurisdiction in the case as it occurred in international waters. The trial will take place in Kalamata on charges including migrant smuggling and causing a deadly shipwreck. The defense team maintains their clients’ innocence.
Greek lawyers representing the Egyptian men held a news conference in Athens, stating that their clients were misidentified as crew members by other survivors under duress. The defendants are accused of being part of the smuggling team despite being paying passengers aiming for a better life. Authorities named the crew members based on testimonies of other survivors. The defense team expressed sadness over the defendants being in prison without understanding the charges against them. The shipwreck occurred in international waters, and the defense team argues Greek courts do not have jurisdiction.
The Adriana was sailing in Greece’s search and rescue zone but sank in international waters. Rights activists accused Greek authorities of triggering the shipwreck while attempting to tow the boat out of their zone. Survivors claimed the coast guard had been trying to tow the boat when it sank, leading to accusations against Greek authorities. The defense team has not been given access to the investigation carried out by Greece’s naval court, and no conclusions have been reached yet. The defense will argue that the trial should be dismissed as the shipwreck occurred in international waters.
Greece is a popular route for migrants entering the European Union, with many crossing from the eastern Aegean Sea islands from nearby Turkey. Some migrants choose the more dangerous Mediterranean route from North Africa to Italy to avoid Greece. On a separate occasion, Greece’s coast guard rescued 42 people with three believed to be missing after a distress call south of the Greek island of Crete. The Italian coast guard alerted Greek authorities about the distressed boat, leading to a rescue operation by nearby ships and a Greek navy helicopter. It remains unclear why the boat sent out a distress call or the type of vessel the passengers were on.
The tragedy of the Adriana highlights the risks and challenges faced by migrants attempting to reach Europe for a better life. The legal defense team’s argument that their clients were wrongly accused of crew membership sheds light on the complexities of prosecuting those involved in migrant smuggling operations. The debate over jurisdiction in the case reflects the difficulty of holding perpetrators accountable in cases that occur in international waters. The ongoing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean continues to be a pressing issue for European countries as they navigate the complexities of border control and humanitarian responsibility.
