Migrants die after Greek guards throw them into sea

A Cameroonian asylum seeker has accused Greek border guards of throwing him into the sea, along with two other men who died.

The other men – one from Cameroon and the other from Ivory Coast – were found dead by Turkish officials last September, according to an investigation published by European media on Thursday.

The Cameroonian asylum seeker told journalists from Germany's Der Spiegel, Britain's Guardian newspaper, France's Mediapart and the Netherlands-based Lighthouse Reports that he and the two other men were taken from the Greek island of Samos, near the sea border with Türkiye.

READ MORE: Türkiye slams Greece over 'inhumane practices' against migrants

Journalists involved in the investigation interviewed witnesses and analysed medical reports, photos and videos, as well as talking to informants from the Greek security authorities.

Two Greek officials reportedly confirmed that the authorities there were repeatedly pushing migrants into the sea, mainly in small groups.

The Greek authorities have denied the allegations.

Repeated pushbacks

According to Der Spiegel, Greek lawyers are preparing a complaint in a local court, while Turkish lawyers have filed a case with the European Court of Human Rights.

Since May 2021, the Turkish coastguard has registered 29 pushbacks involving people allegedly being thrown into the water, Der Spiegel said.

Türkiye regularly accuses Greek officials of illegally pushing migrants back into its territory.

READ MORE: Türkiye holds Greece, EU responsible for migrants freezing to death

Earlier this month, Türkiye said it had found 19 frozen bodies close to the Greek border. 

Ankara condemned Greece of allowing the migrants to die in the winter cold after stripping them of their clothes and forcing them back across the border.