A Greek naval court has charged 17 coast guard officers over the tragic 2023 shipwreck near Pylos that claimed the lives of hundreds of migrants, according to legal sources. The officers are now under investigation for their possible roles in one of the deadliest maritime disasters in the Mediterranean in recent years.
The incident occurred on June 14, 2023, when the overcrowded vessel Adriana, carrying around 750 migrants from Libya to Italy, capsized in international waters. Only 104 people are known to have survived, and the rest are feared drowned.
The Greek coast guard had reportedly monitored the boat for 15 hours before the tragedy occurred. Authorities have consistently denied any wrongdoing, but the naval court is continuing to probe the circumstances leading to the capsizing.
The 17 coast guard officers are expected to face a judge on accusations that include obstructing transport and causing or contributing to the shipwreck. Though formal charges have been compiled, this does not automatically mean they will go to trial, as Greece’s judicial process includes several preliminary stages.
When asked for comment, a Greek coast guard official told Reuters that the service had not yet received official notice of the charges and had requested information from the naval court.
The shipwreck has sparked widespread criticism and calls for accountability. Human rights groups and activists are planning demonstrations across Greece on June 21 to commemorate the second anniversary of the disaster and to demand justice for the victims.
Earlier this year, the Greek Ombudsman, in the first completed national investigation into the case, recommended disciplinary action against eight of the officers involved.
Greece maintains that its coast guard operates within human rights frameworks and highlights that it has rescued over 250,000 people since 2015, during the peak of Europe’s migration crisis.