Death toll in capsizing of smuggling boat rises to 10
The death toll following the capsizing of a smuggling boat south of Crete on Friday rose to 10 on Saturday as coast guard officials continued scouring international waters for survivors.
More than 340 survivors were pulled out of the sea after the 25-meter boat in which they had been traveling overturned. The migrants are to be taken to Italy, Malta and Egypt, Greek officials said on Saturday.
Meanwhile, as tensions continued to simmer in overcrowded migrant reception centers across Greece, Interior Minister Panayiotis Kouroublis criticized the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, noting that it had promised to provide accommodation for 20,000 migrants but has only done so for 3,000 so far.
Kouroublis said the solidarity shown by residents of islands in the Aegean “has saved the honor of Europe.” More than 50,000 migrants are in camps across Greece, awaiting the outcome of asylum applications or deportation.
