February 13, 2026

Athens News

News in English from Greece

Audio records leak: the official version of Greece about the causes of the boat disaster with 650 migrants was in doubt (video)


A leak of audio instructions of Greek coordinators of rescue operations was doubtful in the official version of the Greek authorities about the causes of deadly shipwreck in 2023.

Adriana ship sailed from Libya with 650 migrants on board, Smuting Early on the morning of June 14. It was in international waters, but within the rescue zone of Greece. Survived in deadly crash later told BBC, what The coast guard turned their crowded fishing vessel, trying to tow it, and then made the witnesses be silent.

In turn Greek coastal guard refuted these accusations And she stated that she did not try to save people on board, since they were not in danger and stated in response to a proposal for help that they voluntarily want to get to Italy, and not to Greece.

However, now there is a record of a telephone conversation. It is heard in it how an unnamed man speaking from the Greek coordination center of rescue operations gives the captain of the ship with migrants to transfer the approaching ship that those who are on board do not want to get to Greece: “Tell them:” We do not want to go to Greece. “”

The coast guard did not comment on the audio recording, but reported that she transmitted all the evidence of the naval court, which is investigating the disaster.

The flooding of the ship has become one of the worst disasters that have ever occurred in the Mediterranean Sea. According to estimates, on board the vessel that sailed from the Tobruk port in Libya a week before the tragedy, were 750 migrants.

During the rescue operation, 82 bodies were discovered, however, the United Nations believes that another 500 people, including 100 women and children in the hold of the ship, could die. Audio recordings received Greek site News247.gr, contain phone calls with the participation of a united rescue-coordination center (JRCC) in the port of Piraeus, not far from Athens.

In the first callwhich took place at 18:50 local time (15:50 according to Greenwich) on June 13, you can hear how the officer explains to a person who controls a boat with migrants that a large red ship will soon approach to deliver supplies, and that he should explain that migrants do not want to get to Greece:

“The boat goes to you to give you fuel, water and food. And in an hour we will send you a second boat, good? Pass on the captain of a large red ship:” We do not want to go to Greece. “Good?”

The answers of the ship's captain with migrants are not heard. After 90 minutes, at 22:10, took place The second conversation. Apparently, another officer from the same coordination center is talking to the captain of “Lucky Sailor” (“Big Red Ship”):

Officer: “Well, captain, sorry, I didn’t hear you. I didn’t understand what you told me. You said that they gave them food, water, and they told you that they didn’t want to stay in Greece, but they want to go to Italy, they don’t want anything else?”

The captain of “Lucky Sailor”: Yes, because I asked them to Megafon: “Greece or Italy?”, And everyone shouted there: “Italy”.

Officer: “Ahh, okay, okay, everyone shout that they do not need Greece, but is Italy?”

Captain: “Yes, yes, yes.”

Officer: “OK”.

Captain: “They all seem to crowd, very crowded, a full deck.”

Officer: “Okay, captain. So you finished with supplies?”

Captain: “Yes, sir, yes.”

Officer: “Captain, I want to record this in your on -board magazine. Onboard magazine of the bridge.”

Captain: “Yes, well, we will write it down.”

Officer: “Is everything all right?”

Captain: “Yes.”

Officer: “I want you to write that they do not want to stay in Greece and want to go to Italy. They do not want anything from Greece and want to go to Italy.”

Captain: “Good, yes, yes.”

Another Faithful Warrior vessel is also It transferred some supplies to the boat with migrants, but no further negotiations between his captain and the Greek authorities occurred.

The coastal guard of Greece did not comment on the content of the conversations, but told the BBC that she transmitted “all the materials at its disposal, including audio recordings and diaries of events”, to the prosecutor's office of the Naval Court, which conducts the investigation.

According to the organization, over the past decade, she saved more than a quarter of a million migrants who were in danger at the sea, and arrested more than a thousand smugglers, and her humanitarian activities received international recognition.

The BBC investigation, carried out immediately after flooding, questioned the explanation of the disaster by the Greek authorities. The analysis of the movement of other vessels in this area suggests that the overflowing fishing vessel did not move at least seven hours before turned over. The coast guard always insisted that during these hours the ship was heading to Italy and did not need salvation.

Last year The Greek court removed the charges from nine Egyptians who were accused of involvement in shipwreck. The judges of the southern port city of Kalamat decided that they did not have jurisdiction to consider this case, since the ship was sank in international waters.

The indictment said that the defendants were held accountable on the basis of evidence, which were already refuted at least six survivors who told BBC that the BBC that The coast guard turned their boat, and then put pressure on them so that they would substitute the Egyptians. Human Rights Dimitris Chulis, representing the interests of some accused of the Egyptians, said that these notes were not surprised:

“We know about the coastal guard tactics, which either discards people or does not save them.”

He said in an interview with the Air Force:

“An attempt to hide the truth has been made from the very first day. They [греческие власти] They told the story that “they did not want them to be saved,” and thus insulted the memory of so many dead people. “

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, said they have serious doubts about the honesty of the Greek investigation and They called for an international investigation.

The Greek Ombudsman – an organ independent of the government – considered these accusations. The catastrophe is also investigated by the Greece Naval Court.



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