For the relatives of the hundreds of migrants who drowned in June when a fishing trawler packed with human cargo capsized off the coast of Greece, there has been no body to mourn and no prospect of closure. Eighty-two bodies were recovered after the sinking, and 104 people managed to survive. But as many as 750 migrants were on board the Adriana, which never got close to Italy – its theoretical destination.
The news agenda has moved on. But those lost to the sea must not be forgotten. The Council of Europe was therefore right last week to urge the Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to step up efforts to locate the missing, presumed drowned, and to identify the dead. Just as important was its demand for a transparent, thorough and independent investigation into the events of 13-14 June – the worst migrant shipwreck for many years. Why was this appalling disaster not averted despite the Adriana being under observation for about 15 hours before it sank?
