Two Egyptian men, part of a group of nine Egyptian, who were arrested under the accusations of setting up a criminal organisation, migrant smuggling and causing the shipwreck of a boat with migrants that capsized at open sea off Greece, are seen inside a port police car, in Kalamata, Greece, June 15, 2023. REUTERS/Stelios Misinas TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Nine Egyptian individuals have been apprehended on suspicion of engaging in human smuggling activities following the tragic migrant boat incident near Greece, which resulted in the loss of at least 78 lives. The detained individuals include the captain of the heavily burdened and deteriorated vessel, as per the same source.
The source said the fishing boat left Egypt empty before taking on the migrants at the Libyan port city of Tobruk and heading towards Italy.
Greek news agency ANA reported that the Egyptians were arrested in the Peloponnese port of Kalamata on suspicion of illegal trafficking of human beings. Kalamata is where survivors of the disaster are being cared for.
The International Organization for Migration has said it fears hundreds of more people drowned in one of the worst tragedies in the Mediterranean for a decade.
Government spokesman Ilias Siakantaris on Wednesday said there were unconfirmed reports that up to 750 people had been on the boat.