The European Union’s own watchdog wants changes to Europe’s search and rescue rules following an inquiry into the sinking of a boat carrying hundreds of migrants last year.

The European Union’s administrative watchdog called Wednesday for a change to Europe’s search and rescue rules following an inquiry into last year’s sinking of a rusty fishing boat, the Adriana, carrying hundreds of migrants while traveling from Libya to Italy.

European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly said current rules prevent the EU’s border and coast guard agency Frontex from fulfilling its obligations to protect the rights of migrants or act independently of national authorities when boats they use are in distress.

Up to 750 people were believed to be crammed aboard the Adriana when it sank off Greece last June. Just 104 people were rescued — mostly migrants from Syria, Pakistan and Egypt — and 82 bodies were found. Human rights groups accused Greek authorities of failing to properly investigate. Italian authorities were also involved in the incident.

“Why did reports of overcrowding, an apparent lack of life vests, children on board and possible fatalities fail to trigger timely rescue efforts that could have saved hundreds of lives?” O’Reilly asked.

  • ArbitraryValueEnglish
    1·
    9 months ago

    It sounds like Frontex was quite concerned about the condition of the boat but

    Frontex had chosen not to exercise one autonomous power – to issue a mayday relay – on the grounds that the Adriana was not in “immediate danger” when initially sighted.

    The Greek authorities then effectively prevented Frontex from continuing to monitor the boat, with the effect of delaying the rescue mission after the boat did sink, although no one was watching as the boat sank and refusing to respond. If this was intentional, then I assume it violated EU laws in a serious way, but Greece does have some plausible deniability.

    The Greek ombudsman and the Greek naval court are separately investigating the actions of the coastguard, the latter having declined to initiate an internal investigation.

    It doesn’t seem like Greece is particularly eager to resolve that ambiguity.