It is evident that on June 9, an aged steel fishing trawler embarked from eastern Libya towards Italy, carrying an excessive number of individuals.
Approximately 750 men, women, and children originating from Syria, Egypt, Palestine, and Pakistan sought refuge aboard, escaping despair in their home countries with the intention of reuniting with relatives in Europe.
Five days later, the trawler tragically sank in the deep waters off the coast of Greece, resulting in one of the most devastating shipwrecks witnessed in the Mediterranean Sea. Only 104 individuals, all men, managed to survive, while the remains of 78 people were eventually recovered.
Numerous unanswered inquiries remain regarding the events leading up to this catastrophic incident, leaving a sense of uncertainty.
Critics, including activists, migration experts, and opposition politicians, have voiced their disapproval of Greek authorities for their alleged failure to respond promptly in rescuing the migrants. Despite a coast guard vessel accompanying the trawler for hours, the authorities reportedly observed helplessly as the vessel succumbed to the waves.
Outlined below is a timeline of the events, based on accounts provided by Greek authorities, a commercial ship, and activists who claimed to have maintained communication with the passengers. Although there are instances where these narratives align, significant discrepancies also exist.
According to the Greek Coast Guard, the overcrowded trawler was steadily heading towards Italy and had been rejecting nearly all offers of assistance until moments before it ultimately sank. This assertion finds partial support in the testimony of a nearby merchant tanker.
However, activists have contradicted this claim, asserting that the people on board were in grave danger and had pleaded for help repeatedly over 15 hours prior to the vessel’s sinking.
Experts in international maritime law and coast guard operations have argued that the conditions aboard the trawler clearly indicated a high level of risk, which should have prompted an immediate rescue operation, regardless of any statements made by those on board.
It is important to note that much of the information provided by these sources could not be independently verified at the time.
Unfortunately, the testimonies of survivors, who have been relocated to a restricted camp and kept isolated from journalists, are absent from this timeline.
All times provided adhere to Greece’s time zone.
At approximately 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Italian authorities relayed information to Greece regarding a fishing trawler carrying a large number of migrants. The vessel was located in international waters southwest of the Peloponnese. Greece stated that the Italian authorities were alerted to this situation by an activist.
Coinciding with this timeframe, human rights activist Nawal Soufi posted on social media, stating that she had been contacted by a woman aboard a boat that had departed from Libya four days prior. According to Soufi’s account, the migrants on the boat had depleted their water supplies. The woman shared GPS coordinates via a satellite phone, indicating that they were approximately 100 km (62 miles) away from Greece.
On Tuesday morning, Nawal Soufi urgently wrote, “Dramatic situation on board. They need immediate rescue.” Throughout the day, she posted about approximately 20 phone calls with individuals on the trawler, documenting the events on social media and later sharing an audio recording. The Associated Press was unable to reach Soufi for further information.
At 12:47 p.m., a surveillance aircraft operated by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex spotted the overcrowded trawler and promptly informed Greek authorities. However, Frontex declined to provide additional details.
Diverging accounts emerged regarding the conditions aboard the vessel. At 2 p.m., Greek authorities established contact with an individual on the trawler who reportedly did not request any assistance from the Coast Guard or Greece, as stated in an official statement. Nonetheless, activists asserted that by Tuesday afternoon, the people on the boat were already in desperate need of aid.
At 3:11 p.m., Soufi relayed that passengers informed her that seven individuals had become unconscious.
Simultaneously, Alarm Phone, an independent network of activists operating a hotline for migrants in distress, received a call from a person aboard the trawler. Alarm Phone reported, “They say they cannot survive the night, that they are in heavy distress.”
At 3:35 p.m., a Greek Coast Guard helicopter located the trawler. Aerial photographs released depicted a severely overcrowded vessel, with people occupying nearly every available space on the deck.
From that point until 9 p.m., Greek authorities stated that they maintained contact with individuals aboard the trawler using satellite phones, radios, and exchanges facilitated by merchant vessels and a Coast Guard boat that arrived during the night. According to the authorities, those on the trawler repeatedly expressed their desire to continue towards Italy and declined offers of rescue.
Meanwhile, merchant ships delivered supplies to the trawler to assist the distressed passengers.
At 5:10 p.m., Greek authorities requested assistance from a Maltese-flagged tanker named the Lucky Sailor to provide food and water to the trawler. The company managing the Lucky Sailor stated that the individuals on the trawler were initially hesitant to accept aid and insisted on going to Italy. Eventually, after persuasion, the trawler agreed to receive supplies.
Around 6 p.m., a Greek Coast Guard helicopter reported that the trawler was sailing steadily on a course.
However, at 6:20 p.m., Alarm Phone received information from those on board stating that the trawler was not moving, and the “captain” had abandoned the vessel in a small boat. They pleaded for a solution.
According to Soufi’s account at 6:55 p.m., migrants on board informed her that six individuals had died, and two others were seriously ill. The reported deaths prior to the shipwreck have not been verified independently.
Around 9 p.m., Greek authorities requested a second merchant vessel, flagged under Greece, to deliver water. The Lucky Sailor was allowed to depart.
At approximately 10:40 p.m., a Coast Guard boat from Crete reached the trawler and remained nearby until its sinking. The Coast Guard stated that they discreetly observed the trawler from a distance and noted no apparent issues. The trawler maintained a steady course and speed.
In the final hours, attempts to deliver supplies may have contributed to the trawler’s destabilization, according to Soufi’s account. The trawler began rocking after passengers tried to catch water bottles from another vessel. The Lucky Sailor’s report stated that no lines were tied to the trawler, and supplies were delivered in watertight barrels attached to a rope.
At around 11 p.m., the Coast Guard briefly attached a light rope to the trawler, but the passengers untied it and refused further assistance before continuing their course, as confirmed by a Coast Guard spokesman.
According to authorities, the trawler continued moving until 1:40 a.m. Wednesday when its engine stopped. The Coast Guard vessel approached to investigate the issue.
At 2:04 a.m., the Coast Guard reported that the trawler began rocking violently and capsized. People were thrown into the sea, while others held onto the boat as it overturned. Many, including women and children, were trapped below deck.
Within 15 minutes, the trawler sank, and in the darkness, 104 people were rescued by the luxury yacht Mayan Queen IV, which happened to be nearby. Greek authorities recovered the bodies of 78 victims. No additional individuals have been found since Wednesday.
Approximately 500 people are still missing.