Islamabad: Pakistani survivors of the boat that capsized off the Greece coast allege Greek coastguards purposely sank the ship, carrying hundreds of people, and did not rescue them.
The victims’ video revealed Greece’s inhumanity callous the hours before the catastrophe.
Europe says that 400 to 700 people were on the boat when it sank, with hundreds from Pakistan and many from Azad Jammu Kashmir.
Two Pakistani survivors recounted the tragedy days afterwards.
“They planned this.” One survivor alleged, “They sunk it themselves,” while the other reported the ship sank “in a minute” after five days and six nights of being motionless.
“Why would we sink now after five days?”
The ship’s engine fell down, keeping them stationary for almost a week.
Even with a dead engine, we didn’t drown. I checked the time at 2:15am on the sixth night. “About 10 minutes later, this incident occurred,” one of them said, adding, “It [the boat] sank because of the one-maund-rope they threw into the boat.”
Despite two speedboats, one cargo boat, and one receiving ship, they claimed they did not aid.
This comment supported a BBC investigation that disputed Greece’s account.
The boat was immobile for seven hours before drowning, according to ship movement analyses.
The Greek authorities said that the yacht was headed to Italy and did not need rescue, despite BBC’s findings.
Frontex informed Greek authorities of the ship’s sighting at 8GMT.
Alarm Phone, a migrant hotline, received a call at 12:17 GMT that the boat in peril.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif promised “severe punishment” for human traffickers after 10 caught on Sunday.
Pakistan’s economy collapsed. Years of mismanagement and political upheaval have depleted dollar reserves, produced runaway inflation, and closed factories.
Local media estimate 300 Pakistanis aboard, and Prime Minister Sharif declared a national day of grief.
