LAHORE: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) confirmed on Sunday that one Pakistani national was among those who perished in a tragic boat capsizing incident off the southern Greek island of Gavdos, while 47 other Pakistanis were rescued.
The Greek coastguard reported that the boat, which was carrying several Pakistani migrants, capsized on Saturday, resulting in the drowning of at least five people, with many still missing.
Search operations continued throughout the weekend, involving coastguard boats, merchant vessels, an Italian frigate, and naval aircraft, though the exact number of missing persons is still being determined.
In separate incidents, a Malta-flagged cargo vessel rescued 47 migrants about 40 nautical miles off Gavdos, and another tanker rescued 88 migrants some 28 nautical miles from the island. The rescued individuals were transferred to Crete.
By Sunday evening, MoFA issued a statement confirming the identities of the 47 rescued Pakistanis, based on interviews conducted by the Pakistani Embassy in Athens and information shared by Greek authorities. The Ministry has activated its Crisis Management Unit (CMU) to assist those affected and urged families of missing individuals to contact the Embassy of Pakistan in Athens.
The Embassy is working closely with Greek authorities to coordinate the search and provide support to the rescued Pakistanis. Officials from the Embassy have already traveled to Crete to offer further assistance to those rescued.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his deep sorrow over the tragic loss of life, emphasizing the need to address the ongoing issue of human trafficking. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed his condolences, instructing authorities to take swift action and initiate an inquiry into the incident.
He vowed that the government would make every effort to bring the survivors back home and take stringent action against those responsible for trafficking in humans.
This incident is part of a growing pattern of migrant boat accidents, as human traffickers continue to operate across the globe despite strict laws and enforcement measures.
In June 2024, at least 350 Pakistanis were aboard a ship that capsized off the southern coast of Greece. Earlier in March, a tragic incident claimed the lives of an entire Pakistani family, including four children, who drowned near Turkey while trying to reach Europe.
The scope of these tragedies is not limited to Pakistan. In November 2024, at least 25 people from nearly 30 different nationalities died when a boat capsized near the Comoros Islands.
These recurring tragedies highlight the growing dangers faced by migrants attempting to reach Europe and the persistent issue of human trafficking, which continues to claim countless lives around the world.
