Hundreds of migrants still missing 2 weeks after shipwreck
Nearly two weeks after a ship carrying an estimated 750 migrants capsized off the coast of Greece, only a small percentage of passengers have been found. Greek authorities are pursuing charges against the operators of the boat, which originated in Libya.
Video Transcript
- A boat carrying up to 750 migrants capsized off the coast of Greece killing more than 80 people while hundreds more are still missing. The fishing boat was reportedly transporting migrants from Libya across the Mediterranean Sea when it happened.
Nine people believed to have been operating the boat are in custody on manslaughter charges despite accusations that the Greek Coast Guard caused the accident after tying a rope to the boat, a claim authorities have denied. Among the more than 100 survivors of the tragedy were migrants from countries like Egypt, Pakistan, and Syria.
According to the UN, at least 20,000 people have disappeared or died while attempting to cross the Mediterranean in the last decade, making it the most dangerous migrant crossing in the world. Still the route remains essential for migrants hoping to reach Western and Northern Europe and escape poor conditions abroad.
