The Foreign Office (FO) confirmed on Saturday that 12 Pakistanis were rescued from the overloaded fishing boat, which capsized off the coast of Greece, claiming the lives of at least 78 people.
However, FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch informed that at this stage they could not confirm the number and identity of Pakistani nationals among the deceased.
“The Pakistan Mission in Greece under the leadership of Ambassador Aamar Aftab remains in contact with the local authorities for identification and recovery of Pakistani nationals among the deceased and providing relief to the survivors,” asserted the FO in a statement issued in this regard.
“Our Mission also remains in contact with the Greek authorities in the identification process of the 78 recovered bodies. This identification process will take place through DNA-matching with close family members (parents and children only),” said the spokesperson.
She requested families of likely passengers aboard the ill-fated boat to contact the Pakistan Mission in Greece on the 24/7 helpline numbers for verification purposes. They are also requested to share DNA reports from authenticated laboratories and the identity documents of the passenger at info@pakistanembassy.gr.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered his condolences to the bereaved families and assured that the Pakistani mission in Athens is in “contact with the Greek authorities for further updates”.
At least 78 migrants drowned early on June 14 and more were feared missing after their overloaded boat capsized and sank off Greece, in one of Europe’s deadliest shipwrecks this year.
By midday, 104 people had been rescued, authorities said, but it remained unclear how many were on board when the vessel – whose occupants the coast guard said had refused an offer of help late on June 13 – went under.
“We fear the number of dead will rise,” said a shipping ministry official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Greece is one of the main routes into the European Union for refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
Read more Death toll from migrant boat sinking off southwestern Greece climbs to 79
Most cross over to Greek islands from nearby Turkey, but a growing number of boats also undertake a longer, more dangerous journey from Turkey to Italy via Greece. State broadcaster ERT said the boat that sank had set sail from the Libyan town of Tobruk, which lies south of the Greek island of Crete, and was headed to Italy.
The disaster is the deadliest off Greece this year, and among the worst in Europe. In February, 96 people died when their wooden boat smashed into rocks on Italy’s Calabrian coast during a storm. Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, called on governments to work together on creating safe pathways for people fleeing poverty and war.__Tribune.com
