ATHENS (Reuters) - A Greek Ombudsman has recommended disciplinary action against eight coastguard officers for alleged dereliction of duty in one of the deadliest migrant shipwrecks off Greece in which hundreds died in 2023.
The inquiry is the first to conclude on the circumstances surrounding the shipwreck off the southwestern coastal town of Pylos on June 14, 2023, which sank in plain sight of Greek coastguard authorities with about 750 people on board.
The trawler, named Ariana, had left Libya for Italy and was monitored by the Greek coastguard for nearly 12 hours before capsizing and sinking in international waters. Only 104 people are known to have survived.
In a report released Monday, Ombudsman Andreas Pottakis said there were "clear indications" that eight senior coastguard officers had a case to answer for dereliction of search and rescue duties, and which resulted in endangering lives of those aboard the Ariana.
The Greek coastguard did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Coastguard authorities have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing over the handling of the case that raised questions about the European Union's tactics on migration.
The inquiry was launched by the Ombudsman in June 2023 after the Greek coastguard rejected his calls to launch an internal investigation into the incident.
About 10 officers were called to testify as suspects, including the Commandant.
Pottakis's findings have been forwarded to Greece's Shipping Minister for further action, the Ombudsman's office said.
"The transparency of administrative action and the attribution of responsiblities, where applicable, for the deadly shipwreck of Pylos is an elementary legal demand, inextricably linked to respect of rule of law, as is the thorough investigation of any other incident related to violation of the right to life, health and physical integrity," a statement from Pottakis's office said.
A local naval court, which opened a criminal investigation last year, has concluded a preliminary investigation and referred the case to a chief prosecutor, lawyers representing the survivors and victims said last month, after reviewing the legal files of the case.
They said a preliminary investigation failed to shed light on the incident and more evidence had to be examined by the court.
(Reporting by Renee Maltezou and Yannis Souliotis; Writing by Michele Kambas and Angus MacSwan)
