Greek coastguard chief to be prosecuted over deadly migrant shipwreck

Four high-ranking officials from the Greek Coast Guard, including its current commander, Vice Admiral Tryfon Kontizas, are set to face criminal prosecution for negligent manslaughter in connection with the tragic sinking of the migrant vessel Adriana in 2023. The fishing boat, carrying approximately 650 people, capsized off the coast of Pylos, Greece, after a failed attempt by the coastguard to tow it. Survivors reported that the vessel sank due to the coastguard’s mishandling of the operation. The disaster, which occurred in June 2023, has been a subject of intense scrutiny and legal battles. Earlier this year, prosecutors at the maritime court in Piraeus recommended charges against 17 members of the coastguard, including the captain of the coastguard ship and the then-head of the coastguard, Vice Admiral Giorgos Alexandrakis. However, Vice Admiral Kontizas and three other senior officers were initially cleared of blame. This decision was later challenged by lawyers representing survivors and victims’ families. The charges now include manslaughter by negligence, exposure to danger, and failure to fulfill legal obligations to rescue. Although only 82 bodies were recovered, it is believed that hundreds more perished in the incident. Greece has consistently denied any wrongdoing, emphasizing its commitment to human rights and its record of rescuing over 250,000 people at sea in the past decade.