Greek Shipwreck Tragedy: How to Help
On June 14, a fishing boat overloaded with as many as 750 Pakistani, Syrian, Egyptian, and Palestinian refugees and migrants capsized in the Mediterranean Sea.
Nearly two weeks later, in what the EU commissioner for home affairs is calling “the worst tragedy ever” to take place in the Mediterranean Sea, hundreds are still missing. Only 104 have been rescued alive, and at least 82 bodies have been recovered, per authorities.
Currently, officials are collecting DNA samples from people whose relatives were on the vessel to help in the identification of the bodies.
The migrants—many who were seeking jobs and better lives in Europe—paid thousands to smugglers for the dangerous voyage. Pakistan's government has launched a crackdown on the human traffickers thought to be responsible, and so far, police have arrested at least 17 people in connection with the case, per ABC News. Also, nine Egyptian men suspected of crewing the ship are in pretrial custody in Greece and awaiting charges including, potentially, participating in a criminal organization, manslaughter, and causing a shipwreck.
Meanwhile, the Greek coast guard has been widely criticized for not doing enough to save the migrants as the boat sank.
Below, see what you can do to help the survivors and fallen victims' families.
Donate to the IRC
The International Rescue Committee provides lifesaving medical services, funds, and other essential supplies and support to countries affected by devastating human crises, including Greece, Niger, Libya, and Italy. Donate here.
Donate to the UN Refugee Agency
The organization responds "whenever and wherever violence erupts or disaster strikes" by helping refugees rebuild their lives. It provides, among many things, cash assistance, household essentials, and education. Donate here.
Donate to the IOM
The International Organization for Migration is the leading UN agency working on migration. It protects and assists those displaced or stranded by crisis, and supports populations and their communities to recover. "We work to mitigate adverse drivers that force people from their homes, help build resilience and focus on reducing disaster risk so that movement and migration can be a choice," their site states. Donate here.
Donate to Amnesty International
The nonprofit aims to help end human rights abuses of asylum-seekers, refugees, peaceful protesters, and people on the front lines of the world’s most pressing crises. Donate here.
Raise awareness
Seeking asylum is a human right, but it's important to raise awareness of the dangers that asylum seekers face when attempting to seek a better life, including deadly conditions during their journeys, scams and abuse from traffickers, and lack of regulations from governments around the issue.
You Might Also Like
