The migrant boat disaster off Greece
on Wednesday in which around 600 migrants and refugees are
feared to have died is "the biggest tragedy in the
Mediterranean", European Union Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva
Johansson said on Friday.
"We don't have all the information yet about what happened, but
it seems to be the biggest tragedy in the Mediterranean,"
Johansson, told reporters in Brussels.
"The traffickers who put these people on these boats are not
sending them to Europe, they are sending them to their death. It
is absolutely necessary to prevent that," she added.
The disaster occurred after a packed trawler believed to be
carrying some 750 people including about 100 children capsized
when a Greek coastguard vessel started tugging it to safety.
105 people were rescued and so far 78 people have been confirmed
dead.
On Friday morning Greek authorities said an overnight search for
the missing failed to find anyone.
The trawler was travelling from Libya to Italy and it somehow
ended up off Pylos in Greece.
Italy has said it flagged the boat to Greek coastguard in time
for a rescue.
Greece has arrested 12 Egyptian suspected traffickers and has
said it may detain more in the coming hours and days.
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