79 deaths! Three days of national mourning for the sinking of a ship in the waters near Greece, Greece | immigration | accident
According to Greek media reports on the 14th, an illegal immigrant ship sank in the high seas near southwestern Greece that morning, resulting in 79 deaths. The Greek government announced on the same day that the country had entered a three-day period of mourning.
The Greek Coast Guard said on the 14th that the shipwreck occurred in the Mediterranean Sea near the town of Pyrrhus in the southwest of the Peloponnesian Peninsula. Greek media quoted Alexius, spokesperson for the Greek Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy, as saying that 104 people have been rescued, and the total number of people on board cannot be determined at present. The search and rescue operation is still ongoing.
Alexius said that Greece has learned relevant information about the ship from the Italian side. The sinking accident occurred in the deepest waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and the personnel on board were not wearing life jackets.
Greek media said that there were at least 400 people on board the ship. Survivors told rescue workers that the ship departed from Libya and its destination was Italy.
The Greek government announced on the evening of the 14th that the country will enter a three-day mourning period starting from 21:00 local time.
According to data released by the International Organization for Migration, since 2014, Mediterranean countries such as Greece have been at the forefront of the influx of refugees and illegal immigrants, with over 25000 refugees and illegal immigrants drowning in the Mediterranean.