British man fears relatives are among missing after migrant boat sinks off Greek coast
A British man has told Sky News he fears his relatives are among the hundreds who are missing after a fishing boat overloaded with migrants sank off the coast of Greece.
Aftab Khan, from Wolverhampton, travelled to Greece following the tragedy in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
At least 78 people drowned and 104 were rescued after the fishing vessel capsized about 50 miles from the southern coastal town of Pylos.
Charity Alarm Phone, which received frantic calls from some of those on board, said up to 750 people may have been on the vessel at the time and a massive search operation for survivors is continuing.
Mr Khan told Sky News’ Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall that one of his male cousins had been found alive but he had been unable to find two others.
Speaking in the port city of Kalamata, where survivors have been brought by rescuers, he added: “We don’t know where the rest of them are at the moment.
“We’re just trying to find out.”
Greek officials said the boat got into difficulties when its engine stopped and it began veering from side to side. It then capsized and sank at around 2am on Wednesday.
Aerial pictures released by the Greek coastguard showed the 20m to 30m-long boat hours before it sank.
Dozens of people on the upper and lower decks were seen looking up, some with arms outstretched.
The fishing vessel before it sank. Pic: Greek Coast Guard
Witnesses said many more women and children were below in the hold.
Three days of national mourning have been declared by the Greek government.
Shortly before the boat sunk, Alarm Phone said it spoke to someone on board who said: “The captain left on a small boat. Please, any solution.”
They also pleaded for food and water, and said the vessel had stopped moving.
The charity also accused the Greek and other European authorities of failing to launch a rescue operation before the boat went down, despite being “well aware of this overcrowded and unseaworthy vessel”.
The Greek coastguard denied the claim and said those on board “refused our assistance because they wanted to go to Italy”.
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Survivors were brought to the port city of Kalamata by the coastguard early on Thursday. Many are being treated for conditions including hypothermia and dehydration.
Greek authorities, who initially said 79 people had died before later revising the figure down to 78, said they could not confirm how many people were on board.
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Hundreds of people are missing
The UN’s International Organization for Migration said initial reports suggested there were up to 400 people on the vessel, while the deputy mayor of Kalamata told Sky News it was probably around 550.
The boat is thought to have set off from the Libyan port of Tobruk and was heading to Italy.
Greek authorities said most of the migrants were from Egypt, Syria and Pakistan.
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World
Major wildfire on Greek island of Chios leads to evacuations – as officials warn ‘situation remains critical’
Nearly 200 firefighters are battling a major wildfire on the Greek island of Chios.
The fire started on Sunday in three separate locations near the main town, which is also called Chios. The flames were fanned by strong winds and turned into one large blaze.
Local media footage and photos showed firefighters battling towering flames burning through woodland and farmland as night fell. Power cuts have also been reported.
Greek authorities sent fresh evacuation notifications for two areas near Chios town on Monday morning.
People watch a wildfire approaching. Pic: Politischios.gr /AP
Push alerts have been sent to mobile phones in the area urging people to evacuate a total of 16 villages, settlements and neighbourhoods on the outskirts of the town.
“The situation remains critical as firefighting forces are still dealing with many active fronts, several of which being near hamlets,” a Greek government spokesman said.
The fire department said 190 firefighters were trying to control the fire on Monday, with strong winds hampering their efforts.
Pic: Politischios/AP
Some 35 vehicles, five helicopters and two water-dropping planes were also involved in the effort.
A specialist fire department arson investigation team has been sent to the eastern Aegean island to look into the causes.
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Wildfires are common during Greece’s hot, dry summers but authorities have said climate change is fuelling bigger and more frequent blazes.
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Last year, hundreds of tourists and residents were forced to flee wildfires on the holiday island of Kos.
In 2023, forest fires killed at least 20 people in the north of the country and forced 19,000 people to flee the island of Rhodes.
World
22 killed after suicide bomber opens fire at church in Syria – and then detonates explosive vest
At least 22 people have been killed after a suicide bomber opened fire at a church in Syria – and then detonated an explosive vest.
This is the first such incident since Bashar al Assad was toppled in December, and officials claim the attacker was a member of Islamic State.
It happened at a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus, with estimates suggesting that 350 worshippers were praying there at the time.
Pic: White Helmets via Reuters
Witnesses said the perpetrator had his face covered when he began shooting – and blew himself up as crowds attempted to remove him from the building.
A security source told Reuters that two men were involved in the attack, with a priest saying he saw a second gunman at the entrance.
Officials say 63 people were injured, and children were among the casualties.
Syria’s information minister, Hamza Mostafa, condemned the terrorist attack – writing on X: “This cowardly act goes against the civic values that bring us together.
“We will not back down from our commitment to equal citizenship… and we also affirm the state’s pledge to exert all its efforts to combat criminal organisations.”
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Pic: Reuters
Reports suggest that IS has attempted to attack several churches in Syria since Assad fell, but this is the first time they have succeeded.
Footage filmed by Syria’s civil defence, the White Helmets, showed scenes of destruction inside the church – including bloodied floors and shattered pews.
The Greek foreign ministry says it “unequivocally condemns the abhorrent terrorist suicide bombing”, and called on Syria “to guarantee the safety” of Christians with new measures.
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