It is feared more than 600 people died when the vessel sank in the Ionian Sea in June, and accounts of the incident given by survivors and Greek authorities differ significantly Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International called for an official inquiry to ‘clarify any responsibility for both the sinking … and delays or shortcomings in the rescue efforts’ LONDON: An investigation into the sinking of a vessel off the coast of Greece in which hundreds of migrants died is urgently required, given the differing accounts of the tragedy from survivors and Greek authorities, human rights groups said on Thursday. A fishing boat with an estimated 750 people on board sank in the Ionian Sea near Pylos on June 14. Only 104 people were rescued. Among them were Egyptians, Syrians, Palestinians and Afghans. According to survivors, the boat was being towed by a Hellenic Coast Guard rescue vessel, which caused it to sway and eventually capsize. Greek authorities deny this allegation. They also reject accusations that pleas from those on board to be rescued were ignored, saying the migrants only requested food and water, expressed their intention to proceed to Italy, and threw back rescue ropes offered by the coast guard. Delegations from nongovernmental organizations Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International visited Greece between July 4 and 13 to investigate the circumstances of the tragedy. They interviewed 19 survivors, four relatives of missing people, representatives of other NGOs, the UN and international agencies, as well as officials from the coast guard and Greek police. “The disparities between survivors’ accounts of the Pylos shipwreck and the authorities’ version of the events are extremely concerning” said Judith Sunderland, associate Europe and Central Asia director of Human Rights Watch. “The Greek authorities, with support and scrutiny from the international community, should ensure that there is a transparent investigation to provide truth and justice for survivors and families of the victims, and hold those responsible to account.” Two criminal investigations have been launched by Greek authorities, one into the alleged people smugglers responsible for the voyage and another into the actions of the coast guard, which the rights groups said must “comply with international human rights standards of impartiality, independence, and effectiveness.” Frontex, the EU’s border agency, has been criticized over shortcomings in its response to the incident, and European authorities have called for an inquiry. “There is an urgent need for a thorough, transparent and effective investigation, and I agree that this is important for many reasons, not least for the Greek reputation,” European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said recently. Amnesty and Human Rights Watch have called on Brussels to review its policies on migrants and said their own investigations will continue. A full official inquiry should seek to “clarify any responsibility for both the sinking of the ship and delays or shortcomings in the rescue efforts that may have contributed to the appalling loss of life,” they said. Esther Major, Amnesty’s senior research advisor for Europe, added: “This preventable tragedy demonstrates the bankruptcy of EU migration policies predicated on the racialized exclusion of people on the move and deadly deterrence. “To ensure this is the last, and not the latest, in an unconscionably long list of tragedies in the Mediterranean, the EU should reorient its border policies toward rescue at sea and safe and legal routes for asylum seekers, refugees and migrants.”