Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, prides itself on being the “eyes and ears” of Europe’s borders. With its multi-billion-euro budget, the agency is responsible for monitoring the EU’s external land and sea borders in joint operations with member states. It is also supposed to guarantee the protection of fundamental rights while doing so. Yet, in June 2023, 600 people were left to drown in the Greek search and rescue zone, an area where Frontex operates.
At the critical moment, Frontex wasn’t looking. Instead of being on location to offer support, the Greek authorities had ordered Frontex assets away from the scene. The result was yet another preventable disaster on Frontex’s watch, but without Frontex as a direct witness.
A preventable shipwreck
The Pylos shipwreck in June was one of the deadliest shipwrecks in modern Mediterranean history.
