A shocking new BBC documentary, titled “Dead Calm: Killing in the Med?”, accuses Greek coastguard personnel of being directly responsible for the deaths of dozens of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea. The film presents evidence from multiple witnesses and investigations, alleging that Greek authorities have deliberately thrown migrants overboard, abandoned them in unseaworthy vessels, and forcibly returned them to dangerous waters, leading to tragic loss of life.
The documentary highlights at least nine cases where Greek coastguard personnel are reported to have deliberately thrown migrants from boats into the sea. These accusations come from migrants themselves who have faced violence at the hands of the Greek coastguard. The film also investigates reports of “masked men” funded by the European Union (EU) who round up and forcibly transfer migrants onto coast guard boats before abandoning them in flimsy rubber dinghies in international waters. The documentary claims that these actions have resulted in numerous deaths, raising serious concerns about the safety and well-being of migrants seeking a better life in Europe.
Greece has long been criticized for its aggressive approach to managing the migrant crisis. The country has been accused of using excessive force to push back migrants and of violating international law by forcibly removing them from territorial waters and returning them to international waters. The BBC documentary adds further weight to these accusations, alleging that the actions of the Greek coastguard have gone beyond mere pushing back and have directly led to the deaths of dozens of migrants.
The documentary focuses on incidents from 2020 to 2023, reviewing 15 specific cases where the actions of the Greek coastguard resulted in the deaths of 43 migrants. In five of these cases, migrants reported being directly thrown into the sea by Greek authorities. In other instances, migrants were abandoned in rafts without motors or in rubber inflatable boats that appeared to be punctured. One survivor recounted a harrowing incident where seven to eight children died after being left in a sinking raft, highlighting the callousness of the Greek coastguard’s actions.
The documentary cites a particularly disturbing incident in September 2022 where a boat carrying 85 people ran into trouble. Despite the migrants contacting the Greek coastguard for help, they were allegedly placed in rafts and returned to Turkish waters. One Syrian man, Mohamed, described the horrific scene: “We immediately began to sink, they saw that…They heard us all screaming, and yet they still left us. The first child who died was my cousin’s son… After that it was one by one. Another child, another child, then my cousin himself disappeared. By the morning seven or eight children had died. My kids didn’t die until the morning… right before the Turkish coastguard arrived.”
The allegations made in the BBC documentary are deeply troubling and require immediate investigation. If proven true, these actions constitute a serious breach of human rights and demand accountability from the Greek authorities. The international community must also address the broader systemic issues contributing to the migrant crisis and ensure the safe and humane treatment of those seeking refuge and a better life.
