ISLAMABAD – Federal investigators have revealed that there were at least 209 Pakistanis on the overcrowded boat that overturned and sunk in open waters near Greece.
According to Reuters, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) data says that 181 of the missing people were from Pakistan and 28 were from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
It also stated that 201 families’ DNA samples had been collected by officials to assist Greece in identifying the missing people.
Given that the official death toll from the accident is still at 82 and that there are 104 survivors, 12 of whom are Pakistanis, it was not immediately clear on what grounds the agency had classified them as victims. There were probably hundreds of people on board.
Greek authorities continue to recover bodies in the aftermath of the heart-wrenching incident, as the actual number of dead people is said to be in hundreds which makes it one of the deadliest incidents in recent times.
Most of the missing people are from Azad Kashmir, Gujranwala and Gujrat. Scores of Sialkot and Mandi Bahauddin citizens are also among the missing persons.
Amid the rescue operation, Greek authorities have drawn huge ire for how the disaster was handled.
Pakistanis were singled out, forced below deck by crew in capsized migrant boat in Greece
