A Greek court dismissed charges on Tuesday against suspects accused of involvement in a migrant shipwreck that killed over 600 people, amid criticism of the coastguards’ role in the tragedy.

A court in Greece dismissed on Tuesday the charges against nine suspects in one of the Mediterranean’s worst migrant shipwrecks, saying that it did not have jurisdiction to try the case.

The rusty and overloaded trawler Adriana sank on the night of June 13 to 14, 2023, carrying more than 750 people, according to the United Nations. Only 82 bodies were found.

Nine suspects – who were among the 104 survivors – faced charges, including negligent homicide, participating in a criminal organization and facilitating illegal entry into the country.

The men, aged 21 to 37 years old, spent the past 11 months in pre-trial detention and would have faced life imprisonment if convicted.

The defense team argued that a Greek court cannot try the case as the accident occurred in international waters.

The state prosecutor accepted the defense argument earlier on Tuesday, leading the court to drop the charges against the men.

As the decision was announced, some family members of the suspects embraced and broke down in tears.

Their lawyers say that the men had been scapegoated to obscure the responsibilities of the Greek coastguard, which failed to mount an effective rescue operation.

Procedural Violations Claimed

The defense team also argued that major procedural errors were committed in the investigation that led to the trial.

They say that their clients were arrested barely 24 hours after surviving the sinking, and on the basis of just nine testimonies, some of which were not properly translated.

The lawyers say that some suspects were still receiving medical treatment when they were arrested.

Some survivors subsequently claimed to have come under pressure from Greek police to point out suspects, based on blurry photographs, the defense says.

The sinking of the Adriana 47 nautical miles (87 kilometers) off the coast of Pylos has left many unanswered questions as to whether the tragedy could have been averted.

The boat had set sail from Libya and was heading for Italy. In addition to Syrians and Palestinians, it was carrying nearly 350 Pakistanis, according to the Pakistani government.

Ahead of the trial, Human Rights Watch (HRW) noted that a parallel investigation into the Greek authorities’ actions was still at a preliminary stage – meaning the court will have incomplete information in assessing the culpability of the defendants.

The NGO Alarm Phone and the EU’s border agency Frontex both reported the trawler’s presence to Greek authorities while it was in the Greek search and rescue zone.

Survivors also said that the coastguard was towing the vessel when it capsized.

‘Refused Help’

The coastguard insisted, from the start, that it communicated with people on board who “refused any help.”

An investigation by a naval court into the possible responsibilities of the coastguards is underway. But requests for access to the file have all been refused, the defense lawyers said.

In September, around 50 survivors filed a group lawsuit against the coastguard.

Marina Rafenberg, with AFP