Greece faces international censure over drowned immigrants

Amnesty International is asking for a thorough, transparent and independent investigation of the incident. Amnesty wishes for the culprits to be prosecuted by the Greek authorities. It also calls on the Greek government to look into claims of consistent maltreatment of migrants in the Greek - Turkish border

The coast guard  rebuffed reports that one of its vessels had been towing a boat full of would-be immigrants back to Turkey when a number of the passengers fell into the sea, resulting in several drownings, following criticism from international bodies over the incident.

The bodies of a woman and a child aged around 5 were found near the Turkish coast early Wednesday, two days after their boat was spotted close to the Greek islet of Farmakonisi. Another nine migrants, all women and children, were missing while 16 others were rescued.

Nine children and three women drowned on Monday when the fishing boat carrying them capsized in the dark off the island of Farmakonisi.

The nautical accident occurred when a Coast Guard vessel tried to tow the fishing boat to shore. Reports suggest that two people on the boat then fell or dived into the sea, prompting the remaining passengers to rush to one side of the boat, which caused it to overturn.

The Coast Guard rescued 16 people from the water who were transferred to Leros for medical treatment.

The fishing boat carrying the migrants was spotted around 1.5 nautical miles from Farmakonisi on Monday morning. The boat was immobilized due to suspected mechanical failure.

Lifeguard boats and a Super Puma helicopter have collected the bodies of the 12 people from the water.

In a statement Wednesday, the Hellenic Coast Guard said it had been towing the vessel toward Farmakonisi, not toward the Turkish coast, when some of the migrants fell overboard.

The statement came in the wake of criticism by the United Nations Refugee Agency  which quoted survivors as saying that several migrants fell off the boat as it was being towed, at high speed, toward the Turkish coast. The UNHCR called for an inquiry into the circumstances of the tragedy.

The U.N. refugee agency said it had contacted some of the 16 survivors, who identified the immigrants as coming from Afghanistan and Syria, and claimed the boat was being led back toward nearby Turkey — a claim that was flatly denied.

"Under no circumstances was the coast guard vessel carrying out a towing operation toward the Turkish shore," the coast guard said.

Meanwhile the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, Nils Muiznieks, said he was “shocked and distressed” and called on Greek authorities to “put an end to the illegal practice of collective expulsions and effectively investigate all such cases.”

Early in the afternoon there was a response by Merchant Marine minister. Speaking to SKAI radio, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis rejected allegations that the Greek coast guard was towing the boat toward the Turkish coastline, claiming it was the panicking migrants who were responsible for the boat's capsizing.