2014 Aegean Sea yacht and dinghy capsizing

2014 Aegean Sea yacht and dinghy capsizing
Date May 5, 2014
Location Off the coast of the Greek island of Samos, near Turkey[1]
Deaths At least 22
Missing Up to 7[2]

On May 5, 2014, a yacht and a dinghy, both overcrowded and carrying migrants destined for Greece, capsized in the Aegean Sea about four nautical miles off the coast of the Greek island of Samos.[3] The vessels had been trying to enter Greece illegally at the time they overturned.[4] The two boats were carrying an estimated total of 68 people.[3] The capsizings are the third such disaster to happen in Greece in 2014 thus far,[5] and resulted in 22 deaths, of whom four were children.[6] According to Nicholas Paphitis of the Associated Press, Samos is "a favorite destination for migrant-smuggling gangs because it's close to the Turkish coast."[1] Twenty-two people have been reported to have drowned, including a family trapped in a flooded cabin.[1] 36 migrants had been rescued from the ships, while, according to survivors, about 10 are believed to be missing.[2] The 36 survivors are from Somalia, Eritrea and Syria, according to officials, who have also stated that the 22 victims of the disaster are probably from the same countries. The cause of the capsizing remains unclear, since weather conditions at the time and place where it occurred were "said to have been relatively good."[7] Paphitis also reported that "up to seven" people were missing, but quoted Hellenic Coast Guard spokesman Nikos Lagadianos as saying, "We can't give a precise number of missing people with any certainty."[2]

Reactions

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reacted to the news by saying that they were "deeply saddened" by the deaths, and appealed to European governments to seek “legal migration alternatives” for people fleeing war zones.[1] Two Samos residents, who watched the boats capsize, wrote an article for Greek Reporter in which they stated that "That such highly vulnerable people seeking refuge and safety are compelled to travel in small boats at high cost is entirely due to the inhumanity of the EU policies and practices with respect to migration in general and refugees in particular."[8]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Associated Press (5 May 2014). "Greece: Smuggling Boats Capsize, 22 Migrants Drown". ABC News. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Associated Press (5 May 2014). "22 migrants die, others missing, after boat capsizes in Greek waters". CTV News. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Maltezou, Renee (5 May 2014). "Twenty-two migrants drown after boats capsize off Greek island". Reuters. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  4. ↑ Associated Press (5 May 2014). "At Least 22 Drown as Overcrowded Boats Capsize off Greece". NBC News. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  5. ↑ Associated Press (5 May 2014). "Migrant Boats Capsize Off Greece, Causing 22 Deaths -- Update". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  6. ↑ Associated Press (5 May 2014). "Many dead after migrant boats bound for Greece capsize in Aegean Sea". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  7. ↑ "Search for missing continues after at least 22 die off Samos". Ekathimerini.com. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  8. ↑ Guest (9 May 2014). "Watching Them Die In the Aegean Sea: When Will It End?". Greek Reporter. Retrieved 15 May 2014.