Erano a bordo del Ionian King, insieme a altri 1.200 stranieri evacuati dalla città di Benghazi, in fuga dalle violenze, e pronti a riparare sull'isola greca di Creta in attesa di un volo con cui rimpatriare. Ma a differenza dei passeggeri cinesi, il gruppo di 46 bangladeshi ha avuto paura dell'espulsione, e allora si sono buttati in mare per tentare di fuggire ai controlli, una volta che la nave era entrata nel porto di Souda. Un gesto disperato che ha causato la morte per annegamento di 3 persone, altre 16 invece sono date per disperse. I dettagli della notizia sulla stampa greca.
At least three Libya evacuees drown in Crete
tratto da Kathimerini
CRETE, 6 march 2011 - At least three people have drowned after jumping from a Greek ferry as it was docking at Souda, Crete, after transporting some 1,200 evacuees from conflict-ridden Libya.
The incident occurred early on Sunday and 16 people are still unaccounted for. The victims were from Bangladesh. Another 22 people are receiving hospital treatment.
The coast guard said that a total 46 evacuees used a rope to descend from the ship which had already moored at the port because they feared that they would be sent back to their home country if their papers were checked by Greek authorities.
The Ionian King was carrying a total of 1,288 evacuees from Libya.
Greece has been very active in helping people leave Libya over the last couple of weeks and has ferried more than 10,000 Chinese workers to Crete so they could fly back to their homeland.
Greece’s efforts earned the praise of the US State Department this week. It is thought that Greek ferry companies will earn about 20 million euros from their participation in the evacuation operation
At least three Libya evacuees drown in Crete
tratto da Kathimerini
CRETE, 6 march 2011 - At least three people have drowned after jumping from a Greek ferry as it was docking at Souda, Crete, after transporting some 1,200 evacuees from conflict-ridden Libya.
The incident occurred early on Sunday and 16 people are still unaccounted for. The victims were from Bangladesh. Another 22 people are receiving hospital treatment.
The coast guard said that a total 46 evacuees used a rope to descend from the ship which had already moored at the port because they feared that they would be sent back to their home country if their papers were checked by Greek authorities.
The Ionian King was carrying a total of 1,288 evacuees from Libya.
Greece has been very active in helping people leave Libya over the last couple of weeks and has ferried more than 10,000 Chinese workers to Crete so they could fly back to their homeland.
Greece’s efforts earned the praise of the US State Department this week. It is thought that Greek ferry companies will earn about 20 million euros from their participation in the evacuation operation