One Pakistani dead, 47 rescued in Greece boat incident: FO

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office Spokesperson on Sunday said that as per initial reports, a total of 47 Pakistanis were among those rescued following yesterday’s incidents of capsized boats in the south of Crete Island of Greece.  

“One Pakistani is confirmed to be among the dead. At this stage we are unable to confirm the number of deceased or missing Pakistani nationals,” the spokesperson said in a press release.  

The Embassy of Pakistan in Athens was in contact with the Hellenic Coast Guard and with the Coast Guard of Chania, which were directly dealing with the search and rescue operation.  

The embassy officials have reached the Crete to meet with the rescued Pakistanis and provide them with any assistance required, it was added. 

Families of the missing Pakistanis can contact the Embassy of Pakistan to share details on this number: +30-6943850188 

Earlier on Saturday, the foreign media reported that a wooden boat carrying migrants capsized off the island of Gavdos in southern Greece, killing at least five of them. 

In separate incidents, a Malta-flagged cargo vessel rescued 47 migrants from a boat sailing about 40 nautical miles off Gavdos, while a tanker rescued another 88 migrants off the tiny island in Greece’s south. 

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has expressed profound grief over the loss of lives and directed an immediate investigation into the incident.

In response to the tragedy, the Interior Minister has constituted an inquiry committee under the leadership of Additional Secretary Interior Riffat Mukhtar Raja.

The committee has been tasked with investigating the incident and is expected to submit its findings within five days.

Labelling human trafficking as an “unacceptable crime,” Minister Naqvi stated that the mafia involved in such illegal activities has destroyed countless families.

He called for decisive action by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to dismantle human trafficking networks across the country without discrimination.

This incident highlights the ongoing challenges posed by illegal migration and human trafficking, with authorities reiterating their commitment to addressing these issues through stringent measures.