Coastguards have recovered the bodies of at least 78 people, who drowned off the southern coast after their fishing boat sank.
Operations are underway to find hundreds of others who are missing and feared dead.
Survivors say the boat was carrying up to 700 migrants from several countries including Pakistan, Egypt and Syria.
Three people suspected of human trafficking are under investigation.
Caretaker Prime Minister Ioannis Sarmas has declared three days of national mourning.
Al Jazeera’s John Psaropoulos joins us now from Kalamata, Greece for the latest updates.
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#Greece #Kalamata #MigrantBoats #RefugeeBoats #DesperateJourneys
No 0:21
Europe has an human rights obligation to take good care of these people.
these people are not coming from countries at war… these are illegal economic migrants you great big fraud… now wet yourself and run for the exit.. your sort always do when your nonsense in confronted…
No illegall migrants from Africa and the Middle East!
no! There OWN country have too take care of them not Europe
To all you deniers. Why did European countries invade and take advantages of their resources, intervening at their political affairs, destabilizing these regions? Let’s not even start about the US…
Most of you are short-sighted and ignorant, the west plays a big part at this migrant crisis
People are responsible for their own actions.
Oh well.
Democrats are the Worst!” U.S. don’t need any more illegals in our country coming in because we Legal Working Americans are being put behind illegals! StoP voting for democrats and our Country will get back on track!
THEY BUTCHERED MILLIONS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE AND CHILDREN. IN MEXICO IN ALL SPANISH NATIONS AMERICANS AUSTRALIA CANADA C
Hope they know how to swim. But I don’t think they do. One less person sucking my tax money.
One day you will have Europeans, Greeks, Turks, and Italians will be drowning in boats to come to Africa what goes around, comes around. 🌍
Lol!
@Igor RogovtsevThe world is changing. The West is going broke with low birthrates and crashing economies. The Global South BRICS is taking control of their resources that the West deeds off of. EVERYTHING comes to an end.
Dude we have been building boats for thousands of years 😅
Greek owned ships are the second largest fleet in the world, I think we know how to go around without drowning
lol
Welcome to Africa– Shakira 🤣🤣🤣
That’s nothing to mourn they did it to themselves
You need to watch people who have Near Death Experiences. You’re lost. You have no humanity and no understanding of what we are here to be and do. Love is why we come here. You’re lost
These people are only trying to survive, they leave warzones and leave everything behind for a chance to live
Yes babies often k ill themselves
Money is allowed to move across borders freely but people face strict immigration rules.
Not strict enough
You think public utilities are for free? Tax payers work and pay for it, if people don’t get what they pay for we will end up like US where everything is private and ppl can’t afford a visit to the doctor
@Anna S stop illegal money flow from 3rd world countries to developed country. Developed countries are safe haven of illegal money.
ah, the typical “give me a free meal ticket” BS artist.. sick and pathetic…
Go to closer safer countries.why one so far away .
@Vincent van Meow the economy of those are still dogshit compared to kuwait, they’re not going there for money, they’re seeking refuge.
@Gato de chapéu 😂 cause Kuwait will offer them hotels to stay, feed them and hand them grants right? Never…
@Vincent van Meowuk isnt weathy
@Ann kek, yes it is
In england everythings free
It was very difficult to buy a car legally, so i stole it
The West STOLE entire continents stole people to work, stole trillions from Africa, India, The Americas Oceana all they are, and ever have been are PIRATES, liars scoundrels and thieves. Karma is coming between BRICS and the low birthrates in West the end of this is near
Germany is responsible for this tragedy.
Germany keeps inviting illegal migration
Whoever overloaded that boat is responsible. That boat was filled way over capacity.
Wish i had $5,000
They should be much stricter with illegal migration. Give them 2 options, turn around or die
What a tragedy!
My deepest condolences for the victims and their families. And my respect for the people who tried to save them.
Honestly, by the first glance at this overcrowded boat it looked like a deadly mission. I wonder how desperate a person must be to go on a horror trip like this.
I am impressed by your reporter Mr. John P. and his professional, respectful and human compassion and the way how he speaks about this tragic accident and the victims and their families. I would like to thank him. There are so many other reporters giving the world just bare numbers and cold facts.
I celebrated after hearing about this.
Oh well, to bad they don’t learn there lesson. Better yet, it’s a camel ride away The rich Arab nations nearby to migrate
Can I ask what they are going to do with survivors, are they supposed to send them back, as they are entering illegally
they will follow the same procedures with all people who enter illegaly in Greece. They will apply for asylum and the people who are from war zones will granted asylum, the rest will be send back to their countries of origin.
@ΔΑΙΔΑΛΟΣ / Daedalus Just to clarify: the process for applying for asylum involves the asylum seekers entering the country in whatever way they can. Therefore those who qualify as asylum seekers do not enter illegally
Give them a free house, healthcare and education.
@Gordon mashallah, can you please allow us, just 30 million people in your country, we are not happy in our country, we can give you Islamic system for free🤗
I myself have witnessed them sinking their own boat so that the Ellenic authorities pick them up, these instructions come from the Turkish authorities btw. This is common knowledge to any1 who either workds or live here.
Also these people can always go to Qatar if they want asylum, Ellas is for Ellins and our borders must be protected by invasion. If you are Muslim i am sure the Arabs will welcome you with open arms, this is not Arabia or UK.
You all know that we opened our arms for you, but also you all know that you didn`t respect our laws and culture, you even vandalised our churches and mocked our ancient traditions, do not cry now that you are getting deported and are stopped from coming here any more, feel free to come legaly as many expats do anyway.
More than 500 dead including children. You really show your ugly face here, by spreading hate and rumors in the midst of such Tragedy. No shame no dignity, how can people like you even look in the mirror, is what I don’t understand.
@Saba they should go to Arabia, not Europe
they will not understand that. They do not care about rules just themself
Hope the sharks will take good care of them
You don’t know how is this panic for those mothers who lost their love ones and shame on you. You are joking
Shame on those parents for putting their children in danger
After being treated all the survivors need to be sent home. Greece doesn’t take kindly to invader’s. Do things the correct way.
Good 👍
Shut up.
Whenever tragedies like this happen, there are always a few bad people who go out of their way to show off their lack of empathy as if it’s something to be proud of rather than a shameful deficit of humanity.
They die trying
A few? Seems like the majority to me. at least the majority of online comments.
African migrants in Italy demand equal rights social justice & fair treatment but they’re racist in their own African countries of origin & murderers of white settlers there
Why dont they go to Irak or Saudi arabia or something.
Its always europe.. We dont have space anymore.
I’m sure that’s how colonized countries felt
@Uncutgem Most likely
Because Europe and the USA are exploiting those countries.
@Uncutgem
Yes 💯. They’re not taught it here , so they don’t know
At least they never hi jack boats 😥
Invaders must be deported
No illegall migrants from North Africa and the Middle East!
*Greece🇬🇷 have maritime disputes with Turkiye.*
make maritime border agreement & peace.
This issue is about migrants going to Europe not maritime disputes your comments are irrelevant to all Aljazeera’s issues
dumb statement from a dumb person
just give our islands back to us than there will be peace
When a boat 🛥 sinks into the water 💦 does anybody hear it 😂😂😂😂😂 god bless America 🇺🇸 and the federation of Russia 🇷🇺what was there last words 🤔 I see fish 🐠 🐟
Things like this shouldn’t be happening, its so sad. Please lets sort this World out, PLEASE!
so how can you sort stupidity out ??? often religiously driven stupidity…. look at the population explosion in Pakistan and then tell me this is not the real problem for Pakistan.. but you will just wet yourself and run for the exit.. you all do…
You atart then, by sending all your money and wealth to someone with less than you.
Now send the survivors back or send them to Qatar
Kalamata sounds like a calamity.
No it sounds like olives
Greed and stupidity was ultimate downfall
On their way to the UK no doubt
Probably Germany
Italy
Why should Greece mourn death of these illegal immigrants these immigrants are not welcomed in any part of Europe illegally so many have drowned these illegal people know the dangers of travelling illegally by sea I for one have no sympathy for these people they will become a big nuisance to Europe in the future
RIP, aameen 🤲🤲🤲
Let the 🦀 enjoy all this halal food in peace
😢😢😢😢😢😢🙏🏻🙏🏾
💢
This is good news!!!!
This was an orchestrated boat attack.
These African leaders have failed us, time and time again 🤦🏽♂️ I know there are some success stories out there but Africa as a whole feels like one giant failed state (for lots of reasons including foreign actors). There’s a leadership pandemic, anyone from South Africa to North Africa will tell you the leadership is straight trash.
Somehow this is gonna be blamed on Europe.
Is the picture of all those Black people that Al Jazeera is using, from the actual rescue mission 🤔
Stay home and be safe
This is very sad, people are blaming Greece and Europe, blame the smugglers for putting these people and children at a high risk, although I will say all the European countries need to make a much bigger effort in targeting these scum smugglers, all countries need to work together and set up a large task force to bring them down.
Their route was towards ITALY! The Italians knew this, as did other countries in Europe. They were in INTERNATIONAL waters and NOT in GREEK waters, there were many ships nearby. Which of them helped? None! Greek officials went there to help BUT they were not allowed to help!!!!. When the situation got really bad THEN they were allowed to help, but it was too late.
🙂
What has this to do with Greece?
I feel sad for the boat,😢
Why until now they haven’t release the names of the servers and the dead body’s?????
This a mega business, do you know how much smuggler takes around £10 000……a qui profite le crime ….cheap labour here we go….modern slavery big profit….
The fee to get on that boat was 5k-6k per person, 700-750 on board, so more than 4.000.000 dollars for that one trip the smugglers got.
The people smugglers should go to prison forever
I want to go to a country but didn’t get a visa
So I cross the border illegally and they have to let me in
That’s reson that country hesitate to give them visa.
they knew what their are risking.
My heart cry’s for these people, my condelances for the familiys left, may the souls of these people, be free now in peace. That the world leaders leads this plan, exactly like this, it is a genocide, dont come to the West (I live in Netherlands) see these people working for free, for getting some social gouverment money, they have to do it. Dont trust this leaders in the world, they dont care for people (or all living beeings!). They want to destroy all of us. Sending Divine blessings and prayers for everybody needing it.
Perfect. We need more of this so these stupid disgusting men who leave kids and women at home realize there is NO room for them here. We dont want these low lifes.
Coast Guards were the ones who led them to death.
Why Islam people want to go unislamic country..
Hope the boat owners were insured, the loss of their boat is a terrible financial blow.
A man with honor should not settle in a place, where he is not welcome.
Iraq and Egypt we can understand but why pakistani leaving their country??
US green card for every survivor.