Evidence surfaced that raises questions about the Greek coastguard’s account of Wednesday’s migrant shipwreck, which is feared to have resulted in the deaths of hundreds.
Analysis of the movements of other ships in the area indicates that the overcrowded fishing vessel was stationary for at least seven hours before it capsized.
Despite this, the coastguard continues to assert that during these hours, the boat was en route to Italy and did not require rescue.
So far, 78 people have been confirmed dead, but the UN reports that up to 500 individuals are still missing.
The UN has called for an investigation into Greece’s handling of the disaster, amid allegations that more should have been done earlier to initiate a full-scale rescue operation.
Greek officials maintain that those on board the vessel had indicated they did not need assistance and were not in danger until just before the boat sank.
Tracking data from MarineTraffic, a maritime analytics platform reveals hours of activity concentrated in a small area where the migrant boat later sank, casting doubt on the official claim that the boat had no navigational issues.
The fishing boat did not have a tracker, so it does not appear on the map. Coastguard and military vessels, which are not required to share their location, are also absent from the map.
Frontex, the EU’s border agency, reported spotting the migrant boat at around 08:00 GMT on Tuesday and alerted the Greek authorities.
Alarm Phone, an emergency hotline for migrants in distress at sea, reported receiving a call at 12:17 GMT stating that the boat was in trouble.
Using video and photographs along with court records and shipping logs, the movements of vessels in the area during the following hours were analyzed.
The MarineTraffic animation shows a ship called the Lucky Sailor making a sudden turn north at 15:00 GMT.
The owner of the Lucky Sailor provided with their timeline of events and confirmed that the coastguard had requested the ship to approach the migrant boat and provide food and water.
About half an hour later, at 15:35 GMT, a coastguard helicopter located the migrant boat. Authorities have continued to assert that it was on a steady course at that time.
However, two-and-a-half hours later, around 18:00 GMT, another vessel, the Faithful Warrior, arrived at the same location and also provided supplies to the boat.
The owners of Faithful Warrior directed inquiries to the investigating authorities.
A video has emerged—reportedly filmed from the Faithful Warrior—showing supplies being delivered to the migrant ship via a rope in the water. No other ships are visible.
Video confirmed that the vessel shown, which is stationary in the footage, matches the shape of the migrant ship seen in photographs, and the weather conditions align with those reported at the time. The exact time the video was recorded remains unclear.
Between 19:40 and 22:40, Greek officials initially claimed that the boat was maintaining a “steady course and speed.”
Their original statement mentioned that they observed from a discreet distance, but a close-up image later released from this time period suggests the migrant boat was not moving.
A government spokesperson later stated that the coastguard attempted to board the boat to assess the danger, but those on board removed a rope that had been attached and did not want assistance.
All the shipping activity in the previous seven hours was concentrated around one specific area, indicating that the migrant boat had barely moved.
The scale of the animated map suggests it traveled less than a few nautical miles, which could be expected from a stricken vessel buffeted by wind and waves in the deepest part of the Mediterranean Sea.
The actions of people in distress, rocking the vessel, would also have contributed to any movement.
During this period, Greek officials insisted that the boat was not in trouble and was safely on its way to Italy, which is why the coastguard did not attempt a rescue.
At 23:00, the boat sank with hundreds on board, and the tracking animation shows a frenzy of ships rushing to assist.
This included the Celebrity Beyond, from which footage of the disaster’s aftermath was filmed. A luxury yacht, the Mayan Queen, was then instructed to help transport some of the 104 survivors ashore.
