Hopes of rescuing missing Pakistanis fade after Greece boat disaster

Pakistan's Ambassador to Greece, Aamar Aftab confirmed that dozens of Pakistani nationals are missing with four confirmed dead, following a tragic shipwreck incident on Saturday near the Greek island of Gavdos, south of Crete.

During a press conference, he stated, “The rescue operation is underway at the site, but dozens of Pakistanis have not been found so far.” 

Aamar expressed concern for the victims, noting that hopes for their survival have dwindled due to being stranded in water for over three days.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that four Pakistanis died in the migrant boat capsizing incident in Greece. 

According to a spokesperson, all four victims were identified, and the Pakistani mission in Athens is in communication with the Greek authorities to assist the survivors and arrange for the repatriation of the bodies.

“The cost of transferring the bodies of the victims to Pakistan will be covered by the Pakistani Embassy in Greece,” Aamar announced.

Initial reports indicated that at least four out of the 80 Pakistanis on board died while attempting to reach European countries illegally from Libya by boat.

The accident was attributed to the boat being overloaded. It reportedly developed a crack, which ultimately led to its sinking. 

On the other hand, two brothers from Gujarat who survived the boat accident reported that their vessel collided with a cargo ship, leading to the capsizing. They also mentioned that the boat's engine was malfunctioning and its overall condition was poor.