Karachi, Pakistan CNN —
More than 300 Pakistani nationals died when an overcrowded fishing trawler sank off the coast of Greece. This is the latest tragedy highlighting the refugee crisis facing the European Union as tens of thousands seek refuge from war, persecution and poverty.
The head of Pakistan’s Senate, Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani, released the figures in a statement on Sunday and offered his condolences to the grieving families of the dead.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with you and we pray that the souls who have passed away find everlasting peace,” Sanjrani said. “This devastating incident underscores the urgent need to address and condemn the heinous act of illegal human trafficking.”
Greek authorities have yet to confirm the death toll in Pakistan.
Pakistan is in the midst of its worst economic crisis in decades, and efforts to secure a financial lifeline from the International Monetary Fund are being hampered by political unrest in the country.
Growth has stalled and inflation has spiked in the South Asian country of 220 million over the past year. The country has struggled to import essential food items, leading to deadly rushes at distribution centers.
The number of Pakistanis taking dangerous routes to Europe in search of a brighter future has resonated across the country, prompting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to declare Monday a national day of mourning for those killed in the boat sinking .
In a tweet on Sunday, he ordered a “high-level investigation” into the incident.
“I assure the nation that those who have neglected their duty will be held accountable. Responsibility will be settled after the investigation and heads will roll,” Sharif wrote.
Greek Coast Guard
The boat capsized off the Greek coast last week while en route from Libya to Italy.
About 750 men, women and children were on the packed boat when it capsized last week, the United Nations Migration Agency (IOM) said. Hundreds of people were killed and the tragedy was one of the worst in the Mediterranean, according to EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson.
Every year, tens of thousands of migrants fleeing war, persecution, climate change and poverty risk dangerous routes to Europe.
Johansson denounced the role of “smugglers” in getting people onto the boats.
“They don’t send them to Europe, they send them to their deaths. That’s what they’re doing and it’s absolutely necessary to prevent it,” she said.
The Greek authorities have been criticized for the way the disaster was handled, and awkward questions have been raised about European countries’ attitudes towards migrants.
Despite the dangers, tens of thousands of people are willing to risk everything to make the uncertain journey to Europe in search of a better life.
At the same time, many European countries have tightened their borders and attitudes towards migrants.
Last week, Greek authorities denied claims the boat capsized after coastguards tried to tow it ashore.
Authorities initially said the Coast Guard was keeping their distance, but their help was “refused” after they threw a rope onto the ship to “stabilize it and see if it needed help”.
But Tarek Aldroobi, a man who had three relatives on board, told CNN they saw Greek authorities towing the ship with ropes – but said they were tied in the “wrong places”, causing the ship to capsize have led.
“Their boat was in good condition and the Greek Navy tried to tow them onto the beach but the ropes were tied in the wrong places,” Aldroobi said. “When the Greek Navy tried to tow her, the boat capsized.”
Speaking to Greek state broadcaster ERT, government spokesman Ilias Siakanderis said the coastguard arrived two hours before the boat capsized after its engine failed and there was “no connection” between the two.
“The engine broke down at 1:40 a.m. and at 2:00 a.m. it sank – so there can be no connection between (the Coast Guard’s approach to the boat and the time of its sinking),” he told ERT.
The Greek Coast Guard also defended their reaction.
“When the boat capsized, we weren’t even next to the boat. How could we tow it?” Nikos Alexiou, a spokesman for the Coast Guard, told CNN.
Alexiou said their patrol boat only used a small rope for stabilization while it was near the refugee boat and they were unable to tow the fishing boat.
“Unfortunately there was a movement of people, a shift in weight probably caused by panic and the boat capsized. As soon as we got there, we started our rescue operation to collect those who were in the water,” Alexiou said.