The Headquarters of the Coast Guard issued a press release today regarding the incident of the discovery of a boat with 91 foreigners on Tuesday 26 April 2022 on the east coast of Kythera. Of these, 4 were identified as the operators - traffickers of the sailing vessel and were arrested and on Thursday 28 April they were brought before the Athens Prosecutor's Office where they were given a deadline to apologize.
Read in detail:
On 26-04-2022, in the early morning hours, the Kythera Port Authority was informed by the Integrated Search and Rescue Coordination Centre of the Greek Coast Guard - Greek Coast Guard, about a private boat (a.l.s.) with foreigners on board, which approached a rocky coast “Avlemona” east of n. Kythera. Immediately in this sea area rushed two (02) patrol boats L.S.-EΛ.AKΤ. and from shore one (01) patrol vehicle L.S.-EΛ.AKΤ., where they spotted the I / F vessel “SONETTO” without occupants sailing rudderless in the sea area of rocky islets “DRAGONARON”.
In particular, a total of ninety-one (91) foreigners (men) of various nationalities were identified, of which thirty-nine (39) were minors, as well as four (04) foreigners aged 34, 22, 20 and 44 years old as captains. Specifically, sixty-six (66) were recovered from a rugged area of the coastline of “MOTHONAIOU” v. Kythira by the above mentioned patrol boats of the L.S.-E.L.A.C.T., while seventeen (17) of them were found on the provincial road network ’Avlemona“ of Kythira, by members of the Kythira Police Department.
During the preliminary investigation carried out by the B’ Port Department of Kythera of the Neapolis Voies Port Authority, with the assistance of officers of DAPTHAS, it emerged that four (04) of the above mentioned PEPs were identified as operators - traffickers of the vessel and were arrested, while the vessel was seized. Specifically, they are alleged to be members of a wider ring active in the illegal trafficking of migrants from Turkey to Italy by private vessels. These four (04) PEPs were recruited by traffickers in Turkey in order to operate the vessel in exchange for money. On 28-04-2022 they were brought before the Athens Prosecutor of the Athens Prosecutor's Office where they were given a deadline to apologize.
The Directorate of Security and Maritime Borders Protection, in cooperation with the Neapolis Voies Port Authority, is analysing and processing in depth all the evidence that has emerged and investigating their cooperation with other members of organised circles, with the same or similar criminal activities.
