Four senior officers of the Hellenic Coastguard, including its current commander, are set to face criminal prosecution for their roles in the catastrophic sinking of the migrant vessel Adriana in June 2023, an incident that is believed to have claimed up to 650 lives. The decision, confirmed by a prosecutor at the naval appeal court in Piraeus on Thursday, 6 November 2025, escalates a long-running inquiry into one of the deadliest shipwrecks in the Mediterranean's recent history.

The charges include negligent manslaughter in international waters, failure to rescue, and exposing people to mortal danger. This legal action brings the total number of indicted coastguard members to 21, following initial charges against 17 lower-ranking officers in May 2025. The move to prosecute the force's leadership, including current chief Vice Admiral Tryfon Kontizas, follows an appeal by lawyers representing the victims' families and survivors.

A Perilous Journey for African Migrants

The Adriana disaster underscores the immense risks faced by migrants, many from Africa and Asia, on the Central Mediterranean route, one of the world's most dangerous migration corridors. The vessel departed from Libya on 10 June 2023, bound for Italy, with an estimated 400 to 750 people on board, primarily from Pakistan, Syria, Egypt, and Palestine. While no Kenyans or East Africans have been officially identified among the victims, the route is a known channel for migrants from the Horn of Africa and other sub-Saharan nations fleeing conflict, climate change, and economic instability.

According to a July 2024 report by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), land routes across the Sahara Desert leading to departure points like Libya can be even deadlier than the sea crossing itself. The African Union has previously expressed deep concern over the violent and degrading treatment of African migrants attempting to reach Europe and has called for investigations into deaths, though often with limited impact on European policies.

Conflicting Accounts of the Sinking

The core of the legal case rests on starkly conflicting narratives of the events on 14 June 2023. The grossly overcrowded fishing trawler was monitored by a Greek coastguard patrol vessel, the LS-920, for approximately 15 hours before it capsized and sank in one of the Mediterranean's deepest sections. Only 104 people—all men and boys—survived, and just 82 bodies were recovered. Hundreds of others, including many women and children reportedly trapped in the hold, are missing and presumed dead.

Survivors have consistently alleged that the Adriana sank after the Greek coastguard attempted a botched towing operation, attaching a rope that caused the unstable vessel to capsize. Some also claimed they were instructed by officials after the rescue not to speak about the towing attempt. Greek authorities have vehemently and repeatedly denied these accusations, maintaining that the migrants refused offers of assistance and that the boat sank due to a sudden shift in weight on board.

The Path to Accountability

The investigation into the Hellenic Coastguard's actions has been slow, drawing criticism from human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch for the lack of meaningful progress. Initially, in May 2025, prosecutors charged 17 officers, including the captain of the LS-920, with offences such as "causing a shipwreck" and "dangerous interference of maritime transport." Senior commanders, including the then-head of the coastguard, Vice Admiral Giorgos Alexandrakis, and the supervisor of the national search and rescue centre, were also charged at that time.

However, the decision not to prosecute four other top officials, including Vice Admiral Kontizas, was challenged by victims' lawyers, leading to the latest appeal court ruling. This development is seen by legal representatives as a significant step toward justice and accountability for one of Europe's worst maritime tragedies involving migrants. The indicted officers are expected to be formally summoned to respond to the charges as the naval court's investigation continues.