STORY: Greece has declared three days of national mourning after an overloaded migrant boat capsized off its shores on Wednesday.
Dozens of people were killed in the incident and with hundreds still missing, Greek authorities say the death toll is likely to rise.
Most of those on board were reportedly from Egypt, Syria and Pakistan.
Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, visited some of the survivors who had been taken to a warehouse shelter in the port of Kalamata.
The city’s mayor Thanasis Vasilopoulos said services had been mobilized to help the migrants.
[Thanasis Vasilopoulos, Kalamata mayor]
“We’ve taken care of all of this, we’ve prepared the site, the toilets, the showers, anything that’s needed, from clothes to anything else. Food has come for those staying here overnight, and for tomorrow’s breakfast, lunch and dinner.”
The shipwreck was one of the deadliest off Greece in several years.
State broadcaster ERT said the vessel set sail from the Libyan town of Tobruk and was headed to Italy. Authorities did not confirm the ship’s departure port.
Rescue-support charity Alarm Phone said it believed around 750 people were on board when the ship went under, while the United Nations’ migration agency put the number at around 400.
A U.N. spokesman said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “horrified” by the reports.
Stephane Dujarric added that countries need to work together to prevent such tragedy.
[Stephane Dujarric, United Nations Spokesman]
“The only way we’re going to get safe pathways, the only way we’re going to avoid people going these perilous journeys, the only way we’re going to get criminal gangs out of this equation is if countries of origin, countries of transit and countries of destination work together. We have the instruments, The Global Compact on Migration, International Refugee Law, it’s a matter of, in a way, political leadership and political courage and determination.”
Greece is one of the main routes into the European Union for refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
Nearly 1,000 people are estimated to have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean this year, according to the U.N.
