Number of Pak victims in Greece rises to 4

ISLAMABAD:

The death toll of Pakistani nationals in last week's Greek shipwreck has risen to four, according to the Foreign Office (FO) on Monday.

In a statement, the FO said, "We announce with deep sorrow that, as per the latest information shared by the Greek authorities, four Pakistani nationals have been identified among the dead in Saturday's incidents of capsized boats in the south of Crete Island of Greece."

"Our Mission in Athens is in contact with the Greek authorities to facilitate the survivors and repatriate the dead bodies," the statement read.

The tragic incident involved a wooden boat carrying numerous migrants, including many Pakistanis, that capsized off the southern island of Gavdos. At least five migrants drowned, with witnesses reporting many still missing as search operations continued.

In related incidents, a Malta-flagged cargo vessel rescued 47 migrants from a boat about 40 nautical miles off Gavdos while a tanker rescued 88 migrants some 28 nautical miles from the same area.

A day earlier, the FO had confirmed that one Pakistani citizen had died in the incident while 47 others had been rescued.

Efforts are ongoing to provide relief to survivors and recover missing persons as Pakistan continues to engage with Greek authorities on this humanitarian tragedy.

Greece served as a key entry point to the European Union for migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia during 2015-2016, with nearly a million people arriving on its islands, often in inflatable dinghies.

In the past year, there has been a rise in incidents involving migrant boats and shipwrecks near Crete and its small neighbour, Gavdos, both located in the more isolated central Mediterranean.