Three hurt as coast guard chase smuggling vessel in the Aegean [Update]

Three people were injured Monday after a Greek coast guard vessel chased suspected human traffickers between the Dodecanese islands of Pserimos and Kalymnos.

On spotting the smuggling vessel, which was carrying 12 undocumented immigrants and two suspected smugglers, the patrol boat signaled to it to stop. But the vessel’s navigator tried to ram the coast guard boat, prompting officers to fire, first in the air as a warning and then at the smuggling boat.

Two migrants were seriously hurt and transferred by helicopter for hospital treatment. A coast guard officer sustained minor injuries. The two suspected traffickers, both Turks, were detained.

An internal investigation is to determine whether the shooting was justified.