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BBC investigation / Greek coast guard caused casualties, threw migrants overboard

2024-06-17 09:09:00, Kosova & Bota CNA
BBC investigation / Greek coast guard caused casualties, threw migrants
Photo taken from Greek media

The Greek coastguard has caused the deaths of dozens of migrants in the Mediterranean over a three-year period, witnesses say, including nine who deliberately jumped into the water, the BBC reports . 

The nine are among more than 40 people who are believed to have died as a result of being forcibly removed from Greek territorial waters, or put back out to sea after reaching the Greek islands. 

The Greek coast guard denied to the BBC all allegations of illegal activity.

The Greek government has long been accused of forced returns, pushing people towards Turkey, from where they crossed, which is illegal under international law.

But this is the first time the BBC has counted the number of incidents that claim casualties as a result of the actions of the Greek coastguard.

The 15 incidents we analyzed, dated May 2020-23 - resulted in 43 deaths. The initial sources were mainly local media, NGOs and the Turkish Coast Guard.

Verifying such accounts is extremely difficult - witnesses often disappear, or are too scared to speak. But in four of these cases the BBC obtained accounts by speaking to eyewitnesses.

"We had barely anchored and the police came from behind. There were two policemen dressed in black, and three others in civilian clothes. They were masked, you could only see their eyes," said a witness./ CNA 





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