Greek coastguard accused of  ‘deliberately’ throwing migrants into the sea

The Greek coastguard has been accused of‘deliberately’ throwing migrants who have travelled to the country in boats into the sea, eyewitnesses have said. 

Analysis carried out by the BBC has found that over 40 people are alleged to have died after being forced out of Greek territorial waters or being returned to the sea after reaching Greek soil, which is illegal under international law. 

Despite long-standing allegations of forced returns mandated by the Greek government authorities, the local coast guard continues to deny accusations of illegal activities.

The BBC’s investigation analysed 15 incidents from the May 2020-2023 period, estimating a total of 43 deaths believed to have occurred as a result of the Greek coastguard’s actions.

Despite the difficulty in verifying these claims four of these cases were corroborated through people who witnessed the events.

In some instances, migrants reported being thrown directly into the sea by the Greek authorities. In other cases, they were hunted down or put onto inflatable rafts which appeared to have been punctured.

Other asylum-seekers reported being violently punched, being thrown into water and being forced to see others drown while Greek authorities looked on. 

‘Punches were raining down on my head. It was like they were punching an animal,’ one of the survivors said. 

Another witness who spoke as part of the BBC’s documentary ‘Dead Calm: Killing in the Med?’ reported having his hand tied by the Greek coastguard before being thrown into the water, only managing to survive by floating on his back as he tried to break the ligatures. 

The Greek coastguard strongly rejected allegations of illegal activities, saying they work ‘tirelessly with the utmost professionalism, a strong sense of responsibility and respect for human life and fundamental rights’ while remaining fully compliant with the country’s international obligations.

It added: ‘It should be highlighted that from 2015 to 2024, the Hellenic Coast Guard has rescued 250,834 refugees/migrants in 6,161 incidents at sea. The impeccable execution of this noble mission has been positively recognized by the international community.’

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