Migrants Dumped into Sea Off Samos, One Killed

Human traffickers, spotted by the coast guard and trying to avoid responsibility, threw thirty-one people into the sea from a boat.

The incident took place on the northern coast of Samos on the morning of September 17. An inflatable boat with migrants on board was attempting to enter Greek territorial waters. The coast guard spotted the vessel and tried to prevent it from entering the country's territorial waters. To avoid arrest, the traffickers threw people into the sea. Three of them were picked up by a coast guard boat, 27 people swam to shore on their own, and one of the migrants died. Two traffickers were arrested. The coast guard issued an announcement that publishes newsbeast.gr:

“This morning, the Samos Port Authority received information from the LS-EL.AKT ground surveillance camera about the presence of a high-speed vessel (T/X) with foreigners on board, which was moving towards the northwest coast of Samos. The LS-EL.AKT patrol vessel (PLS) approached the location where it spotted the T/X and attempted to immobilize it using audio and visual signals.

However, the operator of the T/X failed to follow the instructions and attempted to escape. A chase ensued, during which the operator of the T/X repeatedly performed dangerous maneuvers, directly endangering the people in the boat. Warning shots were then fired in the safe zone, as a result of which the T/X was stopped and its foreign helmsmen were arrested.

According to the Samos Police Department, twenty-seven foreigners were found on land, having been thrown into the sea by traffickers before the M/V was pursued. They managed to reach the coast of Samos under their own power and are in good condition.

According to their statement, there were other people in the sea. Two Greek Army speedboats with an officer of LS-EL.AKT, a Coast Guard vessel and a vessel of the Hellenic Rescue Team of Samos Department immediately went to the area to find them.

After an extensive search at sea, three people and the body of a man were found. A private volunteer boat with a diver arrived in the area and searched for people in danger, but the results were negative.

A total of 30 foreigners (15 men, 7 women and 8 minors) were rescued. The rescued and the body were taken to the port of Karlovasos, an autopsy is scheduled at the Samos General Hospital.

The arrested foreigners, the operators of the speedboat, are Turkish citizens and were identified by the rescued persons as human traffickers. They are charged with transporting third-country nationals to Greece, an act causing the death of a person (Article 25 § 1 f. Law 5038/2023), disloyalty (Article 169), dangerous interference with transportation (Article 169. Art. 291 PC) and illegal entry into the country. The vessel M/X has been arrested.”

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