Authorities fear much higher death toll from overturned migrant boat SW of Greece; operators refused offers of assistance on Tues.

The overturning of a dilapidated fishing vessel turned migrant boat off the southwest tip of the Peloponnese, in extreme southern Greece and in international waters, has already claimed the lives of 78 people, with Greek authorities fearing that the death toll may substantially rise.

Some 104 third country nationals have already been picked up in a massive search and rescue operation by the Greek coast guard, navy, airborne units and private vessels. However, as it often the case with migrant smuggling journeys, an exact count of people being trafficked is unattainable.

Unconfirmed reports by Greek media, and based on claims by some survivors, have up to 700 people crammed inside the migrant boat. Local officials in the southern port city of Kalamata later reported that only male teens and young adults were among the survivors.

The vessel had departed from Tobruk, Libya and was first detected by Frontex and other patrol boats on Tuesday afternoon. No request for assistance was issued by the vessel’s operators at the time, while they also answered in the negative when asked by nearby vessels.

A freighter on Tuesday afternoon also approached the migrant boat and provided supplies, although its operators again refused any further assistance, while claiming that their destination was Italy.

The later country has been a “magnet” for migrant smugglers and undocumented third country nationals disembarking from North African ports over past years, often with catastrophic results.

Patrol boats continued to closely monitor the migrant-laden vessel as it approached Greek territorial waters until dawn, when it was reported as overturned in good sailing conditions under undetermined circumstances.

The exact spot of the maritime disaster was some 47 nautical miles southwest of the harbor town of Pylos.

According to latest reports, Greek President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou was headed to Kalamata, where the group of rescued people was being taken.
No information was provided on whether arrests of migrant smugglers had been made.