athens
\nAmnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday called for a \u201ccredible\u201d probe into a migrant shipwreck off Greece in June in which hundreds died, saying that contrasting accounts by the Greek coastguard and survivors \u201cwere extremely concerning\u201d.
\nThe overcrowded fishing trawler said to be carrying between 400-750 people from Pakistan, Syria and Egypt sank in international waters off Greece on its way to Italy from Libya.
\nSome 104 men survived and authorities recovered only 82 bodies.
\nSurvivors have recounted a doomed attempt by the Greek coast guard to tow the trawler that caused the vessel to capsize, according to interviews and evidence seen by Reuters.
\nThe Greek coastguard and government have said no attempt was made to tow the boat and that it overturned when the coastguard was about 70 metres away.
\nGreek judicial authorities have launched an investigation into the causes of the disaster which could take more than a year. The acts of the coast guard are also under investigation.
\nIn a joint statement, Amnesty and HRW said they interviewed 19 survivors, four relatives of the missing as well as nongovernmental organisations, UN agencies and representatives of the Greek coast guard and police during a visit to Greece between July 4-13.
\n\u201cSurvivors interviewed by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch consistently stated that the Hellenic Coast Guard vessel dispatched to the scene attached a rope to the Adriana and started towing, causing it to sway and then capsize,\u201d they said.
\nJudith Sunderland, Associate Europe and Central Asia Director at HRW, said the disparities between survivors\u2019 accounts and the authorities\u2019 version were \u201cextremely concerning.\u201d
\nBoth groups called for \u201ca full and credible investigation into the shipwreck \u2026 to clarify any responsibility for both the sinking of the ship and delays or shortcomings in the rescue efforts that may have contributed to the appalling loss of life.\u201d
\nThe EU rights watchdog last month also announced a probe into the sinking and whether Frontex, the bloc\u2019s border agency, fulfilled its rescue duties.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
athens Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday called for a \u201ccredible\u201d probe into a migrant shipwreck off Greece in June in which hundreds died, saying that contrasting accounts by the Greek coastguard and survivors \u201cwere extremely concerning\u201d. The overcrowded fishing trawler said to be carrying between 400-750 people from Pakistan, Syria and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":346997,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-346983","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n