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Updated 7pm
THE GREEK COASTGUARD has said a freighter believed to be carrying hundreds of migrants did not actually issue a distress call earlier today – a passenger just called to ask for supplies.
Earlier today, the Greek navy and rescue helicopters were dispatched to the area, northwest of Corfu island after it was thought the Blue Sky M was in trouble. Local media also reported that there were armed men on board.
The vessel was sailing in bad weather and it was thought there could be some issue with the engine.
However the coastguard has now said that the ship does not require any assistance. A passenger made a call to emergency services to tell them there was no food, water or blankets on board for the 400 migrants.
Piers Scholfield / TwitterCoastguard told us Greek frigate captain communicated with #BlueSkyM who said not in danger - just asked for food supplies.
— Piers Scholfield (@inglesi) December 30, 2014
The coastguard also told the BBC that the vessel is now under Italian jurisdiction and that its inspections found no fault with it.
However Italy’s air force is still planning to land on the ship as a precaution to make sure the situation is under control, The Telegraph reports. Though the Greek coastguard said it does not believe the ship is carrying would-be illegal immigrants, the Italian coastguard still suspects it is.
This incident comes two days after a Greek passenger ferry with more than 400 people on board caught fire in the same area, leading to a huge rescue operation by Italian and Greek coast guard and military officials. At least 10 people died in that incident, while more than 400 were rescued.
Authorities are still searching for potential missing passengers from the Norman Atlantic ferry.
The Greek frigate Navarino, which is heading to locate the cargo ship, had been in the area assisting in the rescue operation for the Norman Atlantic.
© – AFP 2014 with reporting from AP and Michelle Hennessy.
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Escort the ship back to the country it came from. Time to do it the Australian way.
Too many bleeding hearts do-gooders who wont be happy until Europe no longer looks like Europe but looks more like North Africa and sub Saharan Africa.
Tow it into Albania….Surely the “migrants” would be happy to be on solid ground…
Maybe it is men in green suits like in Crimea….
Just out of curiousity do we have any information that they are illegal?
I’m sure all indigenous people felt the same when Europeans were turning up uninvited
It’s a freighter. It’s not registered to carry passengers. So, yeah illegals.
@Sean Don’t be asking for facts man,can’t you see Scipio, cuppaauntae & Amos need their daily rant now, no time to verify details. They would have made great immigration officers at Ellis Island
Cian,
That’s not right, freighters can and do also carry passengers. Usually they are pretty poor conditions, but it’s legal and totally normal for this to happen.
I’m not suggesting that they are or are not illegal, but the fact that this is a freighter is in not evidence of either. Which was why I asked.
@Ten, yup… absolutely.
Migrants on a cargo freighter sounds like illegals….obviously I stand corrected that they really are Skilled Migrants with Visas to work in the EU….but why not fly if that was the case….
The majority of Australians will be soon celebrating their ‘National Genocide Day’ .. The majority before 1788 will be throwing up on that pathetic day :(
Sorry Sean, should have been more specific. This particular freighter has no registered passengers. Reported as such on BBC.
Because it’s cheaper to go by ship like that. I’ve had a few friends travel, completely legally that way. Not very comfortable but a fraction of flight costs
Reading some of these comments one would be forgiven for thinking that there was not millions of Irish across the world- but it’s all right for us-eh-
You’ll find that for the most part us Irish actually assimilate into the country’s we find ourselves in , it is not expected of our host country to adapt to our way of life ….escort them back to point of origin.
Ah shur, they’ll be safe and well in ireland in no time.
The barbarians are at the gates.
The comments here would make you lose faith in mankind…. These are destitute people we are talking about here
Quite Mel
We have enough destitute irish people without importing anymore.
But amos, we feel that they should be allowed to go and look elsewhere right?
However, it seems we don’t think the same applies to anyone else.
We’re already swamped with them, time to close the borders now, the taxpayer can’t afford them.
Who exactly are we talking about here?
Are you saying we should stop everyone, non-europeans, anyone who is unskilled, anyone without a job who is arriving?
I’m just trying to figure out if you reckon the country should go into complete lock down or not?
Stop the parasites and to hell with the do gooders.
Depending on what you’re on, you’re either taking too much or not enough.
Plenty of “them” are working and paying taxes. Unlike “us”, some of “them” are stuck in unsatisfactory jobs because their visa is tied to their employment so they have no freedom of movement.
Yeah and plenty flying in and out of the country claiming benefits and begging. Get rid of them.
The irish taxpayer is also paying for their invisible kids.
Be sure to double check their passports and visas. If not in order send them back.
Sounds like a job for Seagal.
Just let them in there is a shortage of drug pushers, pimps and prostitutes and petty crime is a bit low, and there is so much extra money has to be given to someone right, let’s not forget all the empty homes in Europe that need filling
“I think there’s a resurgence of antisemitism because at this point in time Europe has not yet learned how to be multicultural, and I think we’re gonna be part of the throes of that transformation, which must take place. Europe has not yet learned how to be multicultural. Europe is not going to be the monolithic societies that they once were in the last century. Jews are going to be at the center of that. It’s a huge transformation for Europe to make. They are now going into a multicultural mode, and Jews will be resented because of our leading role. But without that leading role, and without that transformation, Europe will not survive.”~ Barbara Spectre , what a transformation this ‘lady’ and her ilk have brought to Sweden where it is now a crime to question immigration policy.
Frigate or freighter, hell of a difference
Never mind they just changed the article
Greece is part of the eu, are any of ye even irish do ye know whats going on in ur own country ffs
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