The bodies of the dead were recovered by the coast-guard and divers in a search and rescue operation in the waters north of Samos. They included 4 children and twelve women. An additional 36 people (according to Kathimerini)  were rescued from the waters, while it is believed that more people are missing. Reports from the survivors indicated that a total of about 65 people were being carried in the two boats.

The tragic incident adds to the mounting death toll in the Aegean. Most recently 12 immigrants (9 women and three children) lost their lives off the coast of Farmakonisi on the 20th of January. Survivors of the sinking subsequently blamed the coast guard for contributing to the accident which they say occurred when their boat was being towed at high speeds.

The latest incident occurred in the early hours of Monday morning about four nautical miles north of Samos. According to reports a Finnish patrol boat that forms part of the Frontex border guard forces first spotted a capsized boat and its launch (also capsized), and tens of immigrants in the water. Two coast-guard vessels were dispatched as well as air-force and navy helicopters. A cruiseship was also sent to assist with the rescue operation.

Of the 36 survivors who were pulled from the water and transported to Samos (32 men, 3 women and a child), 3 men remained in hospital yesterday afternoon suffering from hypothermia. The child, a three year old boy, was airlifted in critical condition to Athens for treatment. According to authorities 23 of the survivors are from Somalia, 9 from Syria and 4 from Eritrea.

Of the dead, 18 were found trapped in the submerged hull of the boat which was a modern motor-yacht with four engines flying a Sierra Leone flag, according to the Ethnos newspaper. The paper also highlights the efforts of volunteer divers from Samos in the operation who faced the grim prospect of recovering the bodies from the boat.

One diver, Alexandros Malagaris was quoted as saying, “The boat was submerged at a 90 degree angle. And while we had been led to believe that we would find three bodies, in the end there were 18 lost souls in the ship’s hull. One on top of the other with their suitcases. We, together with the coast guard had the grim and macabre task of recovering the drowned.” Mr Malagaris told the newspaper adding that he had been understandably shaken by the experience. “It is tragic for so many souls to be lost under these conditions. What is etched in my memory is the women who were pregnant. There were two pregnant women in there,” he said.

A wave of humanity crashing on fortress Europe

Once again the incident showed how increasing numbers of refugees fleeing the Syrian war and other conflicts are resorting to unsafe sea voyages to enter Greece and the EU following the effective closing of the border on the Evros river by European Frontex forces. According to the Shipping Ministry from early 2013 to early 2014 the coast guard has detained over 11,000 immigrants, mainly from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan seeking to travel to Samos Kos and Mitilini. In 2012 the figure was 2,800.

Just how many migrants are making the hazardous voyage on a daily basis was also highlighted just hours after the Samos tragedy. According to reports a further 24 immigrants were rescued only this morning off Samos when their boat began sinking in the narrow strait between the island and Turkey. Furthermore another 147 Syrian and Egyptian immigrants including many children were picked up by the coast guard south of Crete after their boat was drifting for three days. Another 69 mainly Syrian and Afghani refugees were also picked up off the coast of Samothraki.

The United Nations Refugee Agency said it was ‘deeply saddened’ by the Samos deaths and issued a call that European governments work to provide legal migration alternatives for people fleeing conflicts.

Shipping Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis also made similar statements claiming that the Samaras government would push for greater European cooperation to deal with the phenomenon which will be discussed at the European Summit in June under the Greek EU presidency.

Yet even in the case of men, women and children fleeing the bloody Syrian conflict, European governments have shown little inclination to actually receive refugees, making it exceedingly likely that they will continue instead to pluck them out of the Aegean, alive or dead.