Nine suspected smugglers in custody after Mediterranean disaster Norway wants to release the seabed for deep-sea mining

After the serious boat accident that killed hundreds of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea, nine suspected smugglers were arrested. A court in the Greek port city of Kalamata decided this on Tuesday evening, state broadcaster ERT reported on Wednesday. The Egyptians, aged between 20 and 40, are accused of forming a criminal organization and endangering themselves on the high seas. They are believed to belong to an international gang.

The allegations are based on statements from survivors who identified the nine men as the crew of the sunken fishing boat. The Egyptians were rescued from the ship last Wednesday along with 95 other people. Meanwhile, another body has been recovered from the Mediterranean about 50 nautical miles west of Greece’s Peloponnese peninsula. According to the Coast Guard, the number of fatalities found has risen to 82.

The approximately 30 meter long fishing cutter sank in international waters last week with up to 700 people on board. It had last departed from Libya and was bound for Italy. The vast majority of the migrants took the boat to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, which is about 5,000 meters deep at this point. Their bodies will probably never be found. There are allegations against the Coast Guard that they failed to help those in need. The Greek authorities reject this. (aeg/sda/dpa)