The crew on board a Greek coast guard ship were the only witnesses when the overcrowded fishing boat Adriana sank in June. Around 750 people were on board when the ship sank. 100 of them were children. When the ship sank, the Greek coast guard did not have what they needed to carry out rescue work. Only 104 were rescued from the sea alive. 81 have been confirmed dead. More than 500 were taken by the sea. Syrian survivor Mohammad (18), who was rescued along with other refugees on the open sea after the Adriana sinking, cries as he is reunited with his brother Fadi. Photo: Stelios Misinas / Reuters Survivors say they sent emergency alerts before the crash. The independent notification service Alarm Phone has logged emergency notifications from the people on board. They then notified the Greek and Italian authorities and Frontex. Nevertheless, the Greek coast guard chose to listen to the ship’s captain, who wanted to complete the voyage to Italy. On board were refugees who were to be smuggled into Europe. And usually captains of smuggling ships only get paid if the trip is completed. In the hours before the sinking on Tuesday 13 June, the fishing trawler Adriana is in international waters, but within Greece’s area of responsibility for search and rescue. At 11 o’clock local time, the Greek coastguard receives a report of a fishing boat with a large number of migrants on board. Documents seen by The New York Times show that Greek authorities monitored Adriana’s movements for more than 13 hours – via radar, radio and telephone. 12.47 the crew on board a plane from the EU’s border force, Frontex, photographs the boat. This is confirmed by news from the agency. Frontex alerts the Greek and Italian authorities. But does not assist with ships. At 1.50pm, three hours after the first notification to the coast guard, the Greek authorities send a helicopter. This is confirmed by El Pais. At 15.35 it appears. The humanitarian organization Alarm Phone receives several inquiries from the people on board the refugee boat. At 17.53 Alarm Phone sends an e-mail with a serious message to the authorities in Europe. “Many people, including children, are very ill. The people on board say they cannot drive on. They are urgently asking for help,” writes the notification service. 22.40, almost 12 hours after the first report, the coast guard boat from Crete finally arrives at the fishing boat. The coast guard records that the boat did not want help and that the ship is on its way to Italy. This is shown by documents Reuters has access to. At 2 o’clock in the morning, about 13 hours after the first distress call, the boat sinks on 14 June. Satellite images obtained and analyzed by The New York Times and the BBC show that the boat drifted along the Greek coast for six and a half hours. Nevertheless, Greek or European authorities did not assist with rescue ships, which could probably have saved more than 600 human lives. Controversial politics Survivors and aid organizations claim that the Greek coast guard is directly to blame for the boat sinking. – Testimony from the survivors says that the Greek coast guard attached a rope to the boat, and that they tried to tow them back to Libyan waters, says Katrin Glatz Brubakk. She is a child psychologist and field worker for Doctors Without Borders. She now assists in the Kara Tepe refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesvos. Photo: Privat The European border and coast guard agency Frontex was also present to assist the Greek coast guard. In 2022, it was revealed that Frontex financed Greek “pushbacks”, in violation of international law. In recent years, several large boats have been seen that can be tried to cross with migrants on board, says Dråpen i Havet. This photo is from November last year. Photo: STRINGER / Reuters Frontex has previously refrained from answering news’s questions about the agency’s role during the sinking. Norway is part of the European border and coast guard agency Frontex. They get money – and manpower from the Norwegian police. In addition, the Norwegian Police Directorate sits on the Frontex board. news has asked Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp) and Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Ap) whether Norway contributes to violations of international law. They do not appear for an interview, and state that the reason is the summer holidays. Norway gives several hundred million to Frontex Every year Frontex receives several hundred million Norwegian tax kroner. The Norwegian Police Directorate states that: Norway’s quota for 2023–2025 is NOK 1.2 billion. Norway pays NOK 311 million in personnel costs between 2023–2027. Photo: The police – Can the Norwegian Police Directorate rule out that the Norwegian police – deployed in Frontex – violate international law? – We don’t have that many people out, so it’s quite clear to have control over, replies Ingrid Dagestad, section chief in the Norwegian Police Directorate. – The personnel who assist in external border operations travel voluntarily and are well educated, with good values and a good view of humanity, she says. The 104 survivors received help from the Red Cross. Photo: Thanassis Stavrakis / AP But several of the host nations in which Norwegian police are deployed have in recent years adopted anti-immigration policies. Dagestad says there are many concerns about the conservative attitudes, but that Norway must assist with crews where it can contribute to change. – And I have great confidence in my colleagues who are sent to these areas. – Norway is among the countries that have responsibility Norway has a responsibility that the situation in the Mediterranean has become what it has become, believes the Green Party. – If human rights had prevailed, this shipwreck would not have happened, concludes Une Bastholm, spokesperson for MDG. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB In addition to Frontex assistance, Norway has set aside approximately NOK 384 million for asylum and migration in Greece in the current period of the EEA funds. But are demands made on the Greek authorities? Condemned for violation of fundamental rights In May this year, the Greek coast guard was exposed in taking 12 refugees back to international waters. It violates both maritime law and the human right to seek asylum. In May, The New York Times gained access to a video in which the Greek coast guard puts a group of asylum seekers, including a 6-month-old baby, out at sea. Until now, the Greek authorities themselves have been responsible for the investigation into this practice. – Norway should help press for an international independent investigation, says field worker Katrin Glatz Brubakk. – And not least that we find out who is responsible for 600 people losing their lives at sea. Leaving the problem to others When the EU created the Schengen area in 1985, measures were taken to seal off the continent from external migration. The tightening also affects people fleeing war and humanitarian crisis. Introduced policies provided fewer visas for non-EU citizens, strengthening border walls, expanded and more frequent patrols in the Mediterranean and increased surveillance systems. After years characterized by a state of emergency in the form of a pandemic, a major war, an energy crisis and high inflation, migration is back at the top of the political agenda in the EU. In 2020, the European Commission put forward a new proposal. The proposal focuses on increased border control, faster distribution between those who have a good chance of asylum and economic migrants and increased cooperation with countries outside Europe. Photo: Pressefoto SV – The EU proposal allows for countries such as Norway to pay, instead of taking responsibility for the refugees, says Birgit Oline Kjerstad, immigration policy spokesperson for SV. Kjerstad believes that the new pact for the EU countries is neither in solidarity with refugees, nor the European countries that receive the boats that come across the Mediterranean. – We have to decide what kind of country we want to be.
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Criticizes Norway’s role after the shipwreck in Greece where migrants died – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
