The European Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, has opened an investigation to “clarify” the role of the Frontex agency in search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean, after the shipwreck in which more than 400 people died on the coast of the Ionian Sea in Greece last June.
O’Reilly has asked for more information about Frontex’s responsibilities in the rescue operations, as well as the reports drawn up by the agency about the tragic shipwreck in Greece, as well as other recent ones that have caused the deaths of hundreds of people.
It also asks for more details on the degree of information that is shared between Frontex and national authorities and if the European agency has any say in how these operations should be carried out. Especially relevant if one takes into account that according to several journalistic investigations after the shipwreck in Greece, it is pointed out that the Greek authorities resisted activating a rescue operation and rejected the help sent by Frontex.
Other questions that the Ombudsman is investigating is whether there are specific rules on the use of cameras on rescue ships in joint operations, and thus study in more depth what happened, and if Frontex reports violations of fundamental rights that many rescue NGOs claim to suffer from the authorities of the Member States
O’Reilly is coordinating the investigation with his Greek counterpart, Andreas Pottakis, who is handling the role of the Hellenic authorities. “While the role of the Greek authorities is being investigated at the national level, the role of Frontex in the search and rescue operation should also be clarified. It has been reported that Frontex alerted the Greek authorities to the presence of a ship and offered its assistance, but it is unclear what could or should be done,” the Ombudsman explained in a statement.
The Adriana fishing boat sank on June 14 off the coast of the Peloponnese peninsula, causing the death of hundreds of people in tragic circumstances that still need to be clarified, especially the role of the Hellenic authorities, who deny any responsibility. The rescue teams rescued 104 people, and found 82 lifeless bodies, in a boat that is estimated to have had around 500 people.
The European Ombudsman has also advanced that in autumn it plans new investigations on the role of European institutions on respect for fundamental rights in the control of external borders.
In addition, it will request more information on the recent migration agreement reached between the European Commission and Tunisia, after the trips of the President of the Executive, Ursula von der Leyen, together with the Italian Prime Minister, Georgia Meloni, and her counterpart from the Netherlands, Mark Rutte; and on respect for human rights in the country ruled by the autocrat Kais Saïd. The plan, which aspires to be a model in the migration policy of the EU, has generated controversy in which it is intended to mobilize aid of almost 1,000 million euros with investments in the country and a game of more than 100 million to support in migration management.
