Greek opposition party slams government over migrant deaths near Rhodes

By Ayhan Mehmet

KOMOTINI, Greece (AA) – A Greek opposition party on Monday slammed Athens’ migration policies following an incident off the coast of Rhodes in which eight irregular migrants died.

The migrants lost their lives on Friday when the boat they were traveling in lost control while reportedly trying to evade the Greek Coast Guard.

In a statement, the New Left Party highlighted the gravity of the situation, saying: "Eight innocent people lost their lives. The role of the Greek Coast Guard vessel in this incident seriously calls into question our country's migration policy.”

The party described the government’s practices of pushbacks – illegally pushing back would-be migrants, often risking their lives – and obstruction as a national disgrace.

It called for an urgent and transparent investigation to determine the events leading up to the incident and to hold those responsible accountable.

After the incident, rescue teams recovered the bodies of the eight migrants who were thrown into the sea.