Athens, December 17, 2024: Dozens of Pakistanis remain missing after a tragic boat accident off the coast of Greece, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Greece, Aamar Aftab Qureshi, confirmed. The embassy has pledged to repatriate the bodies of those who died, at its own expense.
The incident occurred due to overcrowding on five boats carrying migrants illegally from Libya. One of the boats, carrying 80 Pakistanis, sank after developing a crack. Many of the missing are believed to be children.
Rescue operations are ongoing, though hopes for finding survivors have diminished. So far, 47 Pakistanis have been rescued, and four deaths have been confirmed, including one individual from Sialkot. Around 30 Pakistanis remain unaccounted for.
Survivors recounted harrowing details, including rough seas and a collision with a cargo ship near Greece. They revealed being held in Libya for months by human traffickers before setting sail in unsafe boats.
The tragedy highlights the growing reliance on small, overcrowded boats by traffickers seeking to evade coast guard surveillance. Most passengers were young men aged 25–30, with some minors as young as 15 aboard. Many hailed from Punjab, including Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, and Gujarat.
