On 15 June, Greek authorities announced that nine Egyptian survivors were arrested and are due in a Greek court on suspicion of belonging to the smuggling ring that arranged the voyage of a migrant boat that capsized in the Mediterranean a day earlier. The arrest came after survivors said the men took turns steering the boat, giving orders and communicating with the Greek coastguard.
On 14 June, the Italy-bound fishing boat carrying over 700 migrants capsized off the coast of the Greek town of Pylos. Greek authorities have since brought to shore 104 survivors and 78 people who drowned, with the overall death toll expected to exceed 600. Meanwhile, a massive operation continues to search for more survivors or bodies. The boat is thought to have departed from Egypt, picking up passengers from Libya’s Tubruq on 10 June. According to government officials, most of the people on board were from Egypt, Syria and Pakistan. Some of the survivors have told Greek authorities that they paid USD 4,500 each to go to Italy.