The Hasht-e Subh Daily has obtained new photographs and fresh evidence related to the deadly February 3 incident in the Aegean Sea near the island of Chios. The evidence raises serious questions about the conduct of a Greek Coast Guard vessel and the actual cause of death of the Afghanistan citizen asylum seekers. The images show severe damage to the inflatable boat and visible impact marks on the bow of the Coast Guard vessel. Forensic findings indicate that most of the victims died as a result of severe physical trauma caused by a collision with the Coast Guard vessel. Lawyers representing the victims have called for a reconstruction of the scene, the release of communications, and an independent investigation, as public debate intensifies and doctors warn of growing dehumanization. In the incident, 15 Afghanistan citizen asylum seekers were killed, and 25 others were injured.
The Hasht-e Subh Daily has also obtained new photographs of the Greek Coast Guard vessel bearing the number LS-1077 and the half-sunken inflatable boat involved in the fatal February 3 incident off the coast of Chios. The images, along with forensic evidence, raise new questions about the role of the Greek Coast Guard vessel in the tragedy in the Aegean Sea, particularly near Chios.
According to the findings, the images show impact marks on the bow of the Coast Guard vessel as well as severe structural damage to the inflatable boat, including the sudden detachment of its outboard motor and damage to its steering mechanism.
Meanwhile, autopsy findings point to severe physical trauma. Forensic doctors have reported significant skull and brain injuries, chest trauma, and in at least one case, crushing of the head, indicating that most of the victims died not from drowning but from intense physical impact.
Information suggests that in the initial hours following the incident, official communications indicated that the individuals had drowned after falling into the sea. However, forensic evidence now points to a far more violent sequence of events than what was initially reported.
A retired Coast Guard admiral and maritime accident expert has publicly questioned the official narrative, noting that a heavily loaded inflatable boat carrying around 40 passengers has limited maneuverability and speed. He stated that the claim that such a boat collided with a much larger patrol vessel is inconsistent with the basic principles of maritime physics and is far from realistic. “It is like a bicycle trying to hit a truck,” he said.
At the same time, lawyers representing the survivors have formally requested that the sunken boat be recovered and that the collision scene be reconstructed. They have also called for the release of Greek Coast Guard communications and recordings and for an independent review by experts. According to the lawyers, these measures are essential to clarify what truly happened.
Public debate in Greece has meanwhile intensified. Doctors at Chios General Hospital have warned of a growing climate of hostility and dehumanization following the tragedy and reminded the public that human lives hold equal value regardless of nationality.
Nevertheless, the physical evidence, forensic findings, and testimonies all indicate that the case must be investigated in a transparent, comprehensive, and independent manner.
The deadly incident occurred on the evening of Tuesday, February 3, 2025, in the Aegean Sea near the island of Chios. An inflatable boat carrying Afghanistan citizen asylum seekers, traveling from Turkey toward the Greek coast, was struck by the Greek Coast Guard, resulting in the deaths of 15 people and injuries to 25 others, including women, children, and two pregnant women.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
مرگ پناهجویان افغانستان در یونان؛ قربانیان بر اثر ضربه جان باختند