Authorities have confirmed 78 deaths and said 104 survivors - mostly from Syria, Egypt and Pakistan - have been brought ashore, but police believe as many as 500 people are missing, with witnesses saying up to 100 children were in the ship's hold.
As the UN called for urgent action to prevent further tragedies, officials denied reports that the overcrowded boat could have flipped because a rope was attached to it by coastguards.
Officials also rejected criticism for not acting earlier, after it emerged that a coastguard vessel had escorted the boat - which set sail from Tobruk in Libya on 10 June - for hours.
After initially insisting that a coastguard vessel had kept its distance, a government spokesman said yesterday that a rope was used. Ilias Siakantaris said the coastguard had "used a rope to steady themselves, to approach, to see if they wanted any help" - but insisted there was no attempt to tow the boat or tie the coastguard vessel to it.
Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin June 17, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin June 17, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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