Greek Naval Court Charges 17 Coastguards Over 2023 Deadly Mediterranean Migrant Shipwreck

A Greek naval court has charged 17 coastguards, including the captain and crew of the LS-920 coastguard ship, in connection with the June 2023 sinking of the overcrowded migrant vessel Adriana near Pylos, which resulted in up to 650 deaths, making it the deadliest migrant boat disaster in the Mediterranean in a decade. The captain faces charges including causing a shipwreck, dangerous interference with maritime transport, and failure to provide assistance, while other coastguards face complicity charges and officials are accused of exposing others to danger. Survivors allege the Greek coastguards caused the boat to capsize during a botched towing attempt and silenced witnesses, claims consistently denied by Greek authorities. The Adriana, carrying an estimated 750 people from Libya to Italy, sank in international waters within Greece's rescue zone after being monitored by coastguards for about 15 hours without timely rescue efforts. Legal representatives for survivors view the charges as a significant step toward justice, though some senior officers have been acquitted, a decision contested by victims' lawyers. The case highlights serious lapses in the Greek coastguard's handling of the tragedy and ongoing questions about jurisdiction and responsibility in migrant rescue operations.