Seventeen members of the Greek Coast Guard are being referred to an investigating judge over the Pylos shipwreck, according to Dimitris Zotos, the lawyer representing survivors of the tragedy.

Back in February, the Greek Ombudsman concluded there were clear indications implicating eight (8) high-ranking officers of the Hellenic Coast Guard, that were aware of the dangers threatening the lives, health, and safety of the migrants aboard the Adriana fishing vessel, yet failing to take action to prevent them. The Ombudsman stated these officers should be held accountable for exposing the lives and safety of those on board to significant risk.

At the time, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs had condemned the Ombudsman’s report, calling it unreliable and dismissing the independent authority as not competent to issue such findings. The Ministry also accused the Ombudsman of drawing “arbitrary conclusions that risk prejudging the judicial review” and a report “without any reliable supporting evidence.”

In a recent announcement, the United Movement Against Racism and the Fascist Threat (KEERFA) reported a major development revealed by Dimitris Zotos while speaking to hundreds of delegates from the health workers’ union who are campaigning to defend Greece’s public healthcare system against aggressive government policies, particularly those led by Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis. Zotos announced that 17 Coast Guard personnel are now being referred for criminal investigation on felony and misdemeanour charges.

This marks a significant breakthrough for campaigners demanding accountability for what they describe as a cover-up of the Pylos disaster – where over 600 refugees drowned on 14 June 2023 during a Coast Guard-led pushback operation.

The charges relate to both actions and omissions outlined in the Ombudsman’s findings, including the deliberate conduct that led to the sinking of the vessel and the deaths of at least 82 people. Survivors have consistently alleged that the Adriana was violently towed by the Coast Guard before it sank – and that no rescue efforts were made.

Those referred to the judge face charges including:

  • Causing a shipwreck that endangered human life and resulted in a large number of deaths
  • Interfering dangerously with maritime transport, with actions that posed a serious threat to human life and contributed to the deaths of at least 82 people

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